Damned Chinatown
by Kayi Rowling
Summary: Within this little corner of the world, the unbelievable and the impossible is an everyday thing. Yet there are still some things which are rare, even here. This particularity was possessed by this case of ours... / Ch.20, The Holiday arrives!
1. Damned Chinatown's Prologue

**Damned Chinatown**_**  
**Kayi Rowling_

* * *

_Within this little corner of the world,__  
That which is hard to believe,  
__That which is impossible otherwise,  
Is a common thing of every day._

_Still, there are some things  
Which blur the barrier even further,  
Cause a stir in everyone's lives  
Even within this world's little corner._

_Of such a rare nature,  
Of impossibility and disbelief,  
Of chaos and instability,  
Was this particular case…_

* * *

I am going to die…

I _know_ I am! And it is all _Leon Orcot_'s fault!

If he only had not insisted after all his cases linking to me were solved without me appearing as guilty of any, if only he had left the pet shop for sure and went on with his _human_ life, if only he was not a complete idiot… this would have _never_ happened.

And he blames _me_ in turn. Because there is nothing as human as erring, and blaming others for your faults just increases such status. And he is a mortal man; nothing _better_ can be expected from him in such case, but to blame _me_ of his current disgrace.

But the sin was his, _is_ his. His foolishness, his desires and wants and needs… They are the reason behind this tragedy not even _I_ could predict.

Nothing like this has ever happened before, and I truly hope nothing like this ever happens again. I pray for my young child, my poor heir, for a better outcome on his life without this, my doomed fate; let him follow the steps of my grandfather, but avoid being like my father or I…

Now, you may wonder: Which terrible present tortures us? Which dark future awaits, haunting us on every breath we take? Allow me to begin with the motivation behind Destiny's underhanded play versus us both: The detective saved me, truly _saved_ me, effectively indebting me to him.

He saved the pet shop, the magical entity I am linked to through my soul, and all the beings living within its enchanted walls. He saved my son, yet unborn, from dying along with me; therefore, he also saved our kind, since we are the youngest pair of a total of four individuals, each able only to duplicate once…

And he did all that, being one among billions of the humans our family has sworn to see the end to, a creature _not_ supposed to help us and _not_ supposed to be spared any suffering we may concoct. I should have _killed him_ and be done with it, instead of insisting to honor traditions that are not even _ours._

I guess that just reinforces the idea that the young ones always commit the worst mistakes. My grandfather should not have trusted on me that much; I do not yet have the capacity of taking care of _myself._

Oh, well. No use lamenting over hindsight.

Nearly as soon as I insisted Leon Orcot I owed him way more than I could express in words, he threw back at me the way of repayment he wished: He _desired_ my body, he _wanted_ me to submit to his will, he _needed_ someone on his level to be his one and only partner, and, foolishly, he guessed I was _the_ one and only option he had.

I insist he was insane. Now even _he_ says he must have been insane…

Because now he is the one who is having our child.

* * *

I _promise_ this, along with the epilogue, will be the only chapter with any kind of **Author's Notes**!

Ok, so "what's up with this story?" you may be wondering.

The "inspiration" for writing it comes from a simplified challenge in two reviews to my drabble compilation of _Dare me!_, in which _Alana-StarSugarCat_ posted that she (assuming feminine gender) wished me to write a fic with either _Leon_ or _Vesca_ getting pregnant with their respective D's child, instead of the other way around (which I, personally, favor).

I was obstinately pushing it to the back of my mind, intent on forgetting, yet, in the LiveJournal PSOH Drabble community, I had a discussion with loyal reader _Dragoneye200_ that ultimately led to me revealing the existence of this story. After a while, my dearest friend convinced me of attempting to finish writing and to publish this fanfic…

And so, thanks to my hyperactive drabble activity, I got two readers, one that challenged me and I never saw again, and one I wish to dedicate this fic to, that convinced me of doing this. _**Enjoy!**_


	2. Dramatic Exposition: The Cause

_**Dramatic Exposition  
**__The Cause_

* * *

My fingerprints matched, the FBI agent had said, and the pet shop was going to be closed, its animals sacrificed for the good and safety of humankind, and I was to be arrested without an opportunity to fight in Court or to be freed once I was formally in jail. I had a bad feeling that Agent Howell had implied I would be killed as well, eventually, since I was the one he had been seeking for twenty years across the country, a dangerous criminal that should not be allowed to live.

His eyes told me otherwise: I was not the one he had pursued, I was not the one he wanted, and he could not care less whether I lived or died. I ignored who in my family had he met, my father or my grandfather, or perhaps even my recently deceased great-grandfather, but he had already resigned to accept me as his hunt's prize, which made him impossible to reason with.

I was temporally sent to one of the cells in the local police department; I noticed with some unnamed emotion that it was the same Leon had locked me once, in order to attempt to save me from the revengeful Norma, from which I was saved by my grandfather's acquaintance, the Marquis Alexander. It only made me unwilling to fight my fate, being trapped with my memories of the place…

It did not get any better when Leon Orcot visited me, feigning to have something important to tell the current guard; he would surely be punished somehow if he explicitly declared his true intentions. He constantly told me he could not believe it, my case. He had attempted to catch me for _years_ now, and he was not _happy_ seeing me in my current situation; he was convinced that Agent Howell was _wrong,_ constantly reminding me, and forgetting that I already knew, that the pet shop was my grandfather's all along, and hinting, much to my indignation, that I had been a puppet of his as well.

"I will get you out," he promised in a whisper whenever he had to leave. "Just give me some time to find the evidence." I am still disappointed at myself for never seeing the affection behind the noble intention; he was not doing this for a _friend…_

And then, one day, my situation just got worse: Even with the hassle of being arrested, and the despair of knowing the horrible death all my pets were doomed to, my body had decided it was the moment to start the slow process of duplicating. I got desperate, the sole thought of the small spark of life that was my child being in danger too much for me to bear. Next time my detective visited, I was in such a troubled state of mind that I did not think twice on begging:

"Detective, if you are getting me out, I need you to do it _now,_" I told him when he was near enough to hear, my voice kept low so nobody else would.

He got startled by my urgency. "Is there something wrong? Did something happen?" He was probably thinking I had been abused of, or that I was ill, or that captivity was affecting my mind and he was seeing me on my last stages of sanity before I succumbed.

Either way, it did not matter… "Leon, please!" I begged. "I need to leave this place, as soon as possible." His eyes sought mine for an answer that was not as simple to transmit, so I added: "I will confess my concerns, if you can find a private place or time to listen to my words."

He did, the next day: One of the oldest interrogation rooms, with no cameras nor microphones, to which I sighed in relief. How had he gotten the authorization to take me there, I would never know, and he would never tell me.

"Sit down, D," Leon muttered tiredly, letting himself fall heavily on one of the chairs, while I sat on the other. "Ok, now tell me: What's up with you? What did you need to say? I don't have all day."

I sighed, clasping my hands together on my lap and looking down at them. "Detective, what I am about to tell you is _true,_" my voice spoke, yet, to me, it seemed like a stranger had taken hold of my body: A being that did not care for my kind's secret, and was about to reveal it to a mere _human._ "I know it will sound impossible, and maybe even crazy to you, but I promise I will not lie to you." Taking a breath, I finally began with: "Leon, I am not human."

For the following hour or so, I explained all I knew about my species, a foreign thing to him, as he was both an urban mortal and a man from the West; he should not know of the myths and legends associated to my family. I told him of our precarious existence, with only one heir per generation, and how we were all _hermaphrodites,_ practically forced to asexually reproduce since we needed no external intervention given our bizarre anatomy. I told him of our powers over Nature and all her children, of the origin of our hatred for humankind, and of our discreet methods of extracting revenge upon his kin. I told him more about myself, assuring him I never meant to hurt him, and that I held his younger brother, Christopher, very dear…

At last, I told him of my current trouble at being jailed, of how my child was in danger and how worried I was for him, even though he had yet to be born. I also added my concerns for the pet shop and its inhabitants, to which he replied that none of the animals had yet been sacrificed. It was the first time he interrupted my speech; he was thoroughly disturbed by it all, yet he had wanted to reassure me that, at least, _one_ thing that worried me was _fine_ in the world outside my cell's walls.

"Thank you for such news, Leon," I said with all honesty, smiling weakly at him and daring to feel hope: My pets were unharmed. "You do not know what they mean for me."

He shook his blond head, not looking at me. "You just explained me all that shit, D, of your links to the animals and all that," he crossed his arms, "and now I know," his blue eyes met mine, serious and intense, my lips parting at the fleeting sensation of being overpowered, and marveled by such possibility. "I'll get you out," he promised once more after a moment of staring at my face.

* * *

Not a week had passed after my confession of my true nature, when Leon Orcot came to my cell, and threw open the metallic door, grinning at me in victory. "Out you go!" he announced, his voice and posture proud as he stepped aside to clear the way.

Mute in disbelief at how _soon_ had things been solved in my favor, I walked to stand by him on the other side of the bars, looking up at him in surprise and gratitude. "Leon," I mouthed his name, his smile, so true and bright, making my own lips twitch in an attempt to imitate it, to express the happiness he was showing as well. "Thank you, Leon, my dearest detective," I whispered.

"Let's go drop you off at the pet shop," he replied, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "You surely want to go back home now, don't you?" I nodded. "And you'll also want to hear what happened to the order of your arrest; it's all hilarious! You should have seen everybody's faces!" he laughed, guiding me out the building, and into the backseat of his car.

The prospect of seeing the pet shop again, of sitting on my armchair at the parlor, while my detective sat at the couch among the most docile of my pets, made me feel increasingly excited. Not even the car stopping by a bakery, nor the smell of chocolate and cinnamon, could beat my desire of arriving home at last.

In front of the façade, a police officer awaited, keeping order while we arrived, and being dismissed by Leon as we went down the staircase to the main doors. I could barely breathe as I reached out and pushed them open, the smell of the incense still intense, even when it had not been burned within the shop for a while.

My detective gave me the space I needed, and I stepped in, feeling the place become alive around me, how the animals materialized out of the shadows as I reached the parlor, finally coming to rest upon my armchair as if it was my throne, my pets coming to greet and worship me.

Looking at Leon, I said: "I owe you my life."


	3. Dramatic Exposition: The Arrangement

_**Dramatic Exposition:**__The Arrangement_

* * *

Among the increasing noise the pets were making around and between us, including my beloved Q-chan, who landed on my shoulder, I heard Leon reply with a simple: "It's nothing. You owe me nothing, D," to which I frowned, lightly touching my lips with the tip of my fingernails.

"Detective, do you not realize what you have done for me?" I asked him, caressing my prized toutetsu, who got onto my lap. "You saved my life, the life of my child, and my pets. How could I not owe you more than my gratitude?" I was foolish enough to insist, instead of just giving up on convincing my stubborn human acquaintance.

Leon was, in turn, reasonable; even as he opened the pastry box, offering me one humble muffin, he shook his head, refusing to accept that I was indebted to him. "I don't need you doing anything for me, or worrying on repaying me someday. It's enough with what you have done so far, being my friend of sorts, even with our crappy beginnings, and taking care of Chris…"

"Leon, do not reject me like this," I muttered after biting the muffin once, finding it sweet and soft and still deliciously warm. "You never know if I could do something to save you someday, even risking my own interests and well being."

"That's precisely what I don't want you to do, D!" he snapped. "I don't want you to do something stupid someday, something that would make me feel guilty if it went wrong for you someday. Don't you understand? I have nothing more to ask from you! I'll accept nothing else!"

My noble human friend, who so wisely denied to accept my gratitude, before I could convince him otherwise, before he could convince me to stop. Because, truth be told, no living being is able to resist the temptation of taking advantage of the situations for too long…

"I think," Leon began, hours later, perhaps even during another afternoon, "I could ask you something to do for me, right now. It's something I kind of need, and that I've been desiring for long; way too long, if you ask me!" he chuckled, trying to ease his nerves.

"And what would that be, detective?" I pressed for his answer, feeling even the little light of life of my son eagerly awaiting. "You may ask whatever you want from me," I offered, open to his request, whichever it may be.

He hesitated at my words, rubbing his hands together as he attempted not to reach for his cigarettes. He looked at me, then at his hands, at the tea table, and at each and every pet in the parlor; Q-chan hissed, and T-chan growled, but most remained quiet, also intently listening. "Look, D," my detective finally started once more, his blue eyes fixed on mine, "I'll understand it if you don't want to do it, but…" he breathed in and out, twice. "I want you to be my lover."

I am sure my eyes were open as wide as saucers just then, my lips pressed closed so tightly, they could have been sealed shut forever.

Q-chan squeaked in rage, attacking Leon's face while I was paralyzed by the surprise, and T-chan went for his legs. The rest of the pets either gossiped among themselves, tried to save our favorite blond human, or attempted to wake me from my frozen reality, where I contemplated the possibility: Becoming Leon Orcot's lover, the one whose embrace that mortal sought over all others, allowing our relationship to cross the line we had so clearly marked as a limit over the years of knowing each other…

"Shit, D, call them off me!" Leon growled, trying to get the offending pets away.

He brought me back to the present, and I commanded the pair attacking him to cease, Q-chan only flying to my shoulder after biting my detective's ear. "I am so sorry, Leon," I whispered, feeling an ashamed blush rising to my face. "You caught me by surprise; I did not react soon enough to help you."

Suddenly, his hand grasped mine, and I gasped as he pulled me from the armchair to sit beside him on the couch, an arm then wrapped around my waist. "So, what do you say, D?" he breathed huskily, lowly enough to make me doubt the pets had heard at all.

"I do not know, detective," I said as I tried to escape his hold without hurting him; humans are all so frail. I did not succeed, though. "I need time to think, if you would please."

And he did allow me to have my time: He did not appear by the pet shop in nearly a month, and, when I was starting to fear I might have offended him, he appeared at long last at the main doors one late evening, a box of expensive chocolates on his hand. "I can see it in your eyes," he claimed to know without hearing.

"What is it that you see?" I asked, not able to keep a mischievous smirk off my face as I took the chocolates, and to tease him by remaining out of reach.

"That you're willing now." At my nod, he finally took me into his arms, and he kissed me for the first time, being tender and demanding at the same time, his passion being absorbed into my body once he gained access into my mouth; I dropped the box sometime during it, instead wrapping my arms around his neck, my fingers twisting into his blond hair.

We let go out of his necessity for air, which did not bother me, even though the heat that had risen between us was quite uncomfortable. "Leon?"

"Yes?"

"I have something to ask of you, my beloved detective," I whispered respectfully, adoringly even. "I need you to be careful with how you handle me, please: I do not wish my child to suffer any harm."

His human eyes, blue as the heavens, my new personal sky, were partially dark with his desire, yet understanding enough to be able to promise me he would not hurt me or my son. I sighed in relief, and gave him a smile, earning a kiss in return.

Our first night together was completely spent on allowing Leon to explore the wholly novel concept of an hermaphrodite's body, and, just like I had already predicted during my month alone, what attracted him the most were the features my kin shared with females. He did not completely ignore the rest of my body, though, which was bare to his sight and touch in the privacy of my bedroom. He dedicated his time to curiously explore here and there, occasionally tickling me, leaving all things linked to sex for another moment…

* * *

I would have never guessed Leon would ever manage to make me feel equal or more desire for him than he felt for me, but it did happen eventually. He would leave for his job, and not come back for a while; the fact that he still owned his apartment just made things worse, as he would occasionally spend the night there instead of returning to the pet shop, to my bed. And I was becoming desperate.

So it did not surprise either of us when I suddenly suggested him, one morning he was off-duty: "You could save your earned money if you did not have to pay rent any longer, my detective," I told him as I served him tea. "You could live here with me."

Leon agreed: He moved in during the week's run.

Next thing that happened, months later, was that my child was born, effectively giving my lover and I the freedom we wanted to incur in the most indecent yet delightful behavior we could manage; even my poor pets protested on the noise, the mess, and our chosen places for making love.

Unfortunately, around that time, Fate caught up with us, mischievous and cruel, twisting the threads surrounding our destinies to put certain situations into the perfect rail to our despair: Our carelessness at never using any protection, which Leon would later point out at me as a grave mistake, added to both of us trusting on my words that my kin only duplicated… and then to my desire of ceasing being the one who was done all the time, arguing that lovers should seek together all the ways of bringing each other pleasure.

It ended quite badly, just some days afterward, even if we enjoyed ourselves at the time, without any discomfort. We actually went back to our daily routines the following day, him to the precinct and the streets of Los Angeles, and I to my infant son and the animals within my pet shop.

We never got to know why, or how, or when, or where, not even who was the one that should bear all the fault…; I insist it is all Leon's fault: He seduced me!


	4. Dramatic Exposition: The Plot

_**Dramatic Exposition  
**__The Plot_

* * *

Besides a little bit of soreness and cramping my lover complained of two days after our encounter, nothing suggested something must have happened out of the ordinary because of it. Unfortunately, another pair of days afterward, in the early morning, the nightmare began.

"Leon?" I muttered drowsily, awoken by him jumping off the bed suddenly. Rising my head from the pillows, I saw him disappear into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind himself. "Leon?" I called him once more, worry beginning to cloud my mind given his apparent urgency. «Is he ill?» I wondered.

Covering myself with a light robe, I walked over to the closed door, not hearing anything more than ragged breaths. I could sense his agitated and confused presence through the pet shop's own magic, linked to mine; but I could not know what was wrong with my detective that way.

"Leon?" Concerned about his well-being, yet wary of disrupting his zealously defended privacy, I knocked on the door once, twice.

He only made an anguished sound for reply. And then he started heaving.

Dread showered me with its cold rain, which froze me to the spot. Yet I still cried out to him, hoping for a better answer this time: "Leon! Leon, are you alright?" More heaving greeted my words, yet it was, fortunately, the last round of it.

Some entirely silent minutes ticked by, my anxiousness over my lover's current state eating me away from the inside out. Eventually, with the sun already filtering into our bedroom, Leon finally opened the bathroom's door.

"My goodness! Leon, you look terrible!" I could not help exclaiming when I saw him: He was partially hunched over, an arm wrapped around his middle, his eyes had dark circles around them as if he had not slept well, and they were bloodshot as well…

"Gee; thanks, babe," he muttered weakly. "That's just what I wanted to hear after throwing up everything I've ever eaten in my life." And I did not appreciate his sarcasm that one time.

* * *

Leon was a very responsible agent of the American law: Unless shot, he did not take a break from his job. That meant that, even when the nausea did not recede as the hours of the morning passed, I was not able to keep him in the pet shop; he left at noon, assuring me that the special tea I had made for him had worked. I knew it had not, just by looking at his face, but I did warn him: "Do _not_ do anything too exhausting today, Leon," when we were both at the main doors and he was about to leave. "And do not eat your usual junk food, please; it could do more damage than good for you right now."

With one of his most typical smiles, which now seemed forced and lacked its brightness, he leant down to kiss me, afterward saying: "I'll be fine, D; don't worry."

Not four hours later, his friend Jill brought him back to the pet shop, saying he had been ill all the while at the precinct. "He nearly fainted too," she whispered to me worriedly.

My detective just glared, saying he was fine, and that all he had was a bad case of stomach flu. "It'll be gone by the morning," he declared, crossing his arms over his chest, "or in a few days, if we're in a pessimistic mood."

Leon was, of course, completely wrong: It did not get any better the next morning, or the following one… But it did not get worse, either, and we were secretly thankful for it. "I think I'll go to the doctor tomorrow," he told me, after he had called in sick to his job.

I sighed, cradling my son asleep in my arms. Taking care of both of them during those past days had been terribly exhausting, to the point that I had to close the shop temporally. "That sounds fine, Leon," I finally said. "Do you want me to go with you, dear?" I asked with a small smirk.

"No, I can go on my own," he coughed uncomfortably, and my pets giggled in my place.

* * *

The doctor inaccurately diagnosed my detective with stomach flu, just like he had himself a week before; he was given entirely chemical medicine, and he began rejecting my teas in favor of them. They did not work either. "What the Hell?" he growled after two continuous days of the same. "These are supposed to be the end of this crap!"

"Leon, your language!" I hissed, as bothered as he was already with this prolonged sickness of his: He always managed to wake me up earlier than I was used to, jumping off the bed like a madman, and I never got to eat or sleep in peace anymore.

I was beyond irritated by then. For his advantage, though, I was not going to start seriously hurting my lover physically, even when he had not been loving me _that_ way as often as he did before.

"Shit, D! Can't you _please_ put some effort into understanding how I feel right now? I feel terrible! I've been ill for nearly two weeks, and I don't know what's wrong with me, or how to cure it." He turned his back on me, grabbing his towel, and stomping toward the bathroom, presumably to shower. He looked over his shoulder at me, adding: "And neither do you." The door was slammed shut behind him, as it usually was.

The shower was started on the other side. I glared at the barrier for a moment, my hands curling into fists; I heard Leon cry out as the water came boiling hot, a courtesy of mine, and I smirked.

«I should go out to check on the pets,» I thought immediately afterward, deciding to distract myself with some random duty instead of sulkily awaiting my detective to emerge from the bathroom.

In my way to the parlor, I stopped by my son's room to pick him up, his violet eyes wide open even when he had not complained at all, as he usually did whenever he woke; it gave me hope that he was maturating, growing up… unlike Leon Orcot, who was, like most human males tend to be, just a child in a man's body.

«And what a _body!_» I dared letting my inner self appreciate the outer self of my lover, a mischievous smirk again overtaking my lips.

Upon entering the parlor, I found the pets lounging all around, mostly bored. Q-chan, who I had been ignoring for the past days, immediately flew to my shoulder, squeaking down happily to my son, who squealed happily back to him. I sat on the couch, so I could place my child down beside me as I prepared my tea; animals gathered around us, thankful for this small break from tending to my human pet, as they called him behind his back. He could not yet hear their voices, though, so it was the same result as if they confronted him with it directly.

"Oh, I am so sorry I have abandoned you like this," I told them, smiling as I gifted them all with gentle caresses. "Leon has been in great need of my attentions as of late, as you know." I heard T-chan snort, and Ten-chan snickered beside him. I sent them a warning look, before I sighed: "Let us hope that this ends soon."

* * *

Leon did not get better the next day, but he had promised to report at the precinct, where an extended leave period would be agreed upon, as he had already ran out of the contractual yearly resting time. Still, I insisted he would not be driving, so he sat down with me at the couch to wait for the taxi we had called.

"I am sorry about yesterday," I whispered, not looking at him as I handed him a small teacup.

"Don't worry, D," Leon told me, reaching around my shoulders with his free arm as he drank the liquid I had brewed specially for him. "It's been a hard time on us both; I can see that much, even if it's obviously not all…" he added with an apologizing tone.

The taxi arrived shortly after Leon had finished his tea, and I saw him to the top of the stairs leading to the shop. I patiently waited for him to return, tending to the pets and to my son with just half my being, the rest of my self focused on the main doors and on the telephone. He arrived that evening, looking terrible yet not ill.

"What did they tell you?" I asked worriedly.

"They gave me the permission," Leon answered, taking my hand. "But," he sighed, "Jill said something today, you know? Something that disturbed me. A lot."

"What was it?" I pressed, grasping his hand tighter.

"She said that, if weren't a man, she'd swear on her life that I'm _pregnant._"


	5. Dramatic Exposition: The Reveal

_**Dramatic Exposition  
**__The Reveal_

* * *

"You _cannot _be pregnant, Leon," I declared. "Human males do not bear children."

"But _you_ can, can't you?" Leon asked, and, before I could remind him I was not of his species, he added: "You aren't human, I know. And _that's_ what I meant! You're so different that… What if you passed me _something?_ A disease, or a parasite?"

"So you do not hold the idea that you may bear a child?" I asked, moderately confused.

"No, I don't," he replied. "But what Jill said made me think of other stuff that could be transmitted the same way. What do you think?"

I stood silent for a minute, before I nodded my understanding. "It could be. I have no such illness, though."

"You could be naturally immune!"

"I could." And the blame was finally transferred to my shoulders because of this simple admission, as I would realize later. At least, in Leon's mind. "I do not know what it could be, though; I would have to contact my grandfather, and ask him for advice on how to treat you." Q-chan caught my attention by squeaking from the telephone's desk, gathering a pen and paper for me to write to my grandparent.

Yet Leon grasped my arm as I was about to leave his side. "You sure that's a good idea?" he whispered. "You said your family hates humans. What if he tries to kill me instead of healing me?" I could not believe my lover's complete distrust on the rest of my kin, even when he shared our bed, and had a chance to prove I was not intending to do him any harm. My family could understand, if I explained to them the situation, for sure…

"What else do you suggest?" I hissed venomously, still feeling offended. Q-chan had also squealed in rage, his fur bristling. "Should we leave you like you are right now? What if it is something that can _kill_ you? I need to consult my grandfather!" My loyal Valvertinger again squeaked his agreement, glaring at Leon.

Who glared back at us both in turns. He knew he had lost against our wills, so he allowed me to write a letter to my venerable eldest, which I asked Q-chan to deliver personally to him: I knew he would find him, wherever in the world his last travel had landed him. Both Leon and I saw my pet fly away from the top of the staircase, and I took my lover's hand on mine tightly, wishing we finally had our questions answered, and that my detective would be healed fully in a short time.

* * *

Even when Leon had just used his friend's words for leading his thoughts into a possible cause for his ailment, and I had been perfectly fine with it when we discussed it through, that night I discovered that I did not agree with his point of view. Something in the back of my mind was sending alerts to my whole consciousness, making it hard to concentrate in any other thing, or to _sleep,_ which I needed the most; my lover slept by my side, leaning slightly onto my own body, but I remained awake…

«What if it is _not_ a _disease?_» I wondered. I had been very convinced that it could _not_ be that Leon was _pregnant,_ of all things: He was a human male, after all. Yet, through the last hours before we went to bed that night, I had mentally gone through all his symptoms, the most evident of which was the morning sickness, and had found a match with the usual ones that human females complained of when bearing children themselves.

It could be just a coincidence, of course. It could be that it was _not_ a coincidence as well, and that, just like my detective had declared hours before, our differences had brought upon us a rare case.

And I knew so little! The way the bodies of my own kin worked was not part of the knowledge I held. The only thing my grandfather had taught me about it was the manners of duplication, and all the other things I usually took for granted, gave them no further thought: How my body healed, how it survived on so few things…

What if there was something I had not been taught about how we reproduced, aside from duplicating? What if there was a way I _could_ have gotten my lover _with child?_ It was a scary possibility, of which I did not know the probability of truly happening.

I eventually chose to leave the bed, slipping from my detective's tight embrace slowly, so I would not wake him. I left the room as well, and headed for the parlor, intent on preparing myself some tea that would help me relax, would make my mind stop its desperate march to attempt to find the answer to our problem.

Once in the quiet and the calm, as all my pets were asleep at that hour, and so was my child, I sighed as I sipped my tea. «I wish I had more to work on.» I had a feeling that, if Leon showed some other sign, I would know for sure…

The sign that came to me did not make itself evident on my lover immediately, but it did come along the following morning: T-chan did not growl at him in passing, and the rest of the parlor's usual inhabitants did not climb him like the tree they sometimes seemed to perceive him as. Not even Pon-chan broke the unspoken agreement of giving my detective his space, and even my son seemed a little bit wary in his arms, as I saw to everyone's breakfast after I had helped Leon out of the bathroom. He had, as usual, bolted from the bed and to the toilet with a severe attack of nausea around the time of dawn; fortunately, he seemed more relaxed right then, also probably considering a midday nap, if his yawning was anything to go by.

"Leon, if you are feeling tired, go back to the bedroom and rest," I told him softly, caressing his cheek lightly, pushing some strands of his blond hair off his face… and _then_ I finally felt what my pets and my baby must have been feeling for a while: There was something _off_ with Leon's aura, his presence and soul, now seeming to have _doubled._ I could not contain my gasp as I pulled away: "_Leon!_"

"_What?_" he exclaimed as well, and would have jumped from his seat had he not been carrying my child in his arms. Or, at least, my _already born_ child… "What's wrong?" he demanded next thing, still startled.

I had been stunned speechless and motionless, though, and I just stared at him as if I had _never_ seen him in my whole life, while the animals surrounding us were looking at me expectantly; now that I knew what they did, I guess they wondered what I would be doing about it. The worse thing was that I was wondering about it myself right then, as if I was an outsider, a mere observer as they were.

"Leon…" I whispered softly after an uneasy minute, "I _think_ I know what is happening to you now." A heavy silence fell as he eagerly awaited.

But my detective is not particularly patient, when tension is already so high: "What is it, D?" he pressed, keeping his tone even as he put my son down beside him on the couch.

"Leon," I began, "I _will_ understand it if you _do not_ believe my words; I can barely believe my own conclusions. Still, I have many reasons to claim that… that…" I took a deep breath, to ease my fear of the reveal: "Leon, I _think_ you _are_ pregnant."

Rather obviously, my beloved detective was not too happy with my words, and had exploded instead of just laughing them off: How could I, that had rejected the idea just the day before, suddenly bring it back, assuring it was the answer to it all? He was, indeed, angry by my irrationality, and he had said I was just setting him up, with the help of my pets, which he had noticed behaving a little bit oddly that morning.

"Hell, I'm going to prove it to you, if necessary!" he yelled, heading for the main doors. "I can't be fucking _pregnant,_ D!"

For once, I let his language go without a reprimand, my curiosity winning instead: "What are you going to do, Leon?"

"Right now? I'm off to the drug store. To get a pregnancy test." As I looked at him in amusement, which was the only way to describe what I felt at his words, he added, blushing: "Wouldn't its result convince you?"

I smiled at him kindly, walking to stand by his side. "It would," I said softly. "Be back soon, please. And take care." I kissed him lightly, before he left.


	6. Delayed Narration: The Acceptance

**_Delayed Narration_  
**_The Acceptance_

* * *

"Damn…" came my lover's frustrated voice through the closed bathroom door.

"What is it, Leon?" I asked, concerned. "Is there something wrong?"

I heard him cursing some more, much to my annoyance, before I obtained a reply along the lines of: "This is surely one of your fancy tricks." Sighing, I went to sit on the bed, having obtained the answer I had dreaded so much: My detective was _pregnant._ And he refused to believe it as well, as did I.

He nearly kicked the door open, frowning and fuming, a minute later. He fell on the bed beside me, closing his eyes and rubbing his temples, whispering over and over again that it was _not_ possible, that it had to be some very wicked joke of mine… "It is not," I whispered, placing my hand on his knee, trying to be as comforting as I could. Again, I felt the tiny, developing aura through the simple contact.

"But I'm a _guy,_ D. A _guy!_" he said, sounding more distressed than he seemed to be. "Seriously, if this is some game of yours, it isn't _funny._"

Instead of denying his accusation, I drew him into an embrace. He came to my arms quite willingly, wishing for security in this strange case of his which had yet to have a definite answer before his eyes. "Everything will be alright," I sighed as I ran my fingers through his blond hair. "No matter what is truly happening, I will be with you." I sealed my promise by lifting his head slightly and kissing his lips…

Which only led to a _very interesting_ afternoon together, entangled in the silken sheets of our bed, holding to each other.

* * *

Sadly enough, that evening, Leon reverted into full denial. Unfortunately for him, I had all the proof I needed, I was thoroughly convinced that he was bearing our child, and hence I was _not_ going to follow him around any longer trying to figure out what he wanted, what he needed, nor to convince him that I was right about this. And my lover sulked as a result.

"You are acting like a baby," I told him on passing, tending to all my pets with my now undivided attention. He just mumbled something unintelligible, crossing his arms over his chest as he lounged on the couch, the animals not daring pushing him away to settle on it as well.

When I was finally done with seeing to everyone's dinner and sleep, I offered him a cup of tea. Unsurprisingly, he rejected it, still in a grim mood, so I bid him good night and left him alone in the quiet parlor.

I passed by my son's room, my heart warming when I saw him already asleep, my mind straying off to thoughts of his future little sibling: How alike would they be? How different? The possibilities made me wish Leon was more accepting of our small and mysterious miracle, and that time advanced faster than it did, excited at the prospect of holding that other tiny life in my arms, a life that was partly mine, partly Leon's…

I eventually headed to my own bedroom, finding my lover already under the silken covers, snoring away for the night; apparently, I had taken _too long_ fantasizing about a future of us as a _family,_ my detective getting to bed some time earlier. I moved slowly and silently, trying not to wake him as I laid beside him, just daring to press a light kiss to his forehead before I finally settled down.

My dreams that night were not pleasant, though; the feeling of some disgrace rapidly approaching troubled my sleep, yet I could not wake…

* * *

Morning greeted me with something _even worse_ than Leon locked in the bathroom: Leon was not even in the pet shop anymore, his presence having vanished from my domains while I was deeply possessed by my nightmares. I came to the conclusion that I preferred them to my lover being missing, not a clue in my surroundings as to _where_ he had gone, or _when_ had he left, or, most importantly, _why_ had he vanished without saying a thing, as he _usually_ did.

I asked among the animals at the parlor if they had seen him leaving, but _none_ of them had. Still, _other_ news awaited: A sealed envelope on my armchair, along with my loyal Q-chan, who was devouring a strawberry. «Grandfather _finally_ has responded,» I thought as I knelt, caressing my pet's furry head in gratitude, while taking the letter with my free hand.

A small line of my native Chinese on the back of the envelope reassured me of my suspicions about Leon's condition: My grandfather had written down that my dear detective _was_ pregnant, no doubt concealed in the small message… nor the way he had figured it out, without receiving information from me of Leon's visible symptoms.

«Has he been _spying_ on the pet shop?» I wondered, glancing sideways at Q-chan, who squeaked. «Or did he _tell_ my grandfather?» Probably.

The rest of the letter, though, was not very pleasant to read. My grandfather would _not_ come to my aid this time, declaring that _I_ should deal with the problem on my own, since I had started it all. Still, at the end, he added, as if he had forgotten to comment: He _had_ shared his knowledge of my case with _someone else,_ whose identity he did not disclose, and whether or not my lover and I were to receive support from that person was a question left without an answer.

I had honestly wished for a different reply to my letter, since my grandfather had _always_ helped me whenever trouble arose and I specifically summoned his aid. Then again, it was _me_ the one he cared about; if my _human_ lover lived or died, if our _hybrid_ child was ever born or not, _he_ would not get involved, nor would he care for their fate. Just like Leon had implied may happen: My family's hatred to his own kin was enough to overcome their love for _me._

"And Leon is _still_ missing." This whole mess was getting even worse by the minute…

* * *

My detective arrived in the late afternoon that same day. "It wasn't a game, was it?" he asked first thing, before I could even demand to know _where_ had he gone to. "You weren't joking when you told me; now I know…" He sat down on the couch, sighing. "Hell, how did it happen?"

"Where were you, Leon?" I asked, my voice softer and sweeter than I had intended: I was _furious,_ having waited all day for him to appear, doing nothing else but _worrying_ for his well-being.

"I went for another test; several, actually. Did them elsewhere, too, away from all your magic tricks." The unspoken remained hanging between us, yet it was as clear as if spoken: He had done such tests _again,_ to prove I was lying, yet had to conclude otherwise with the proof he found.

"So you have come to accept that you _are_ bearing my child, Leon?" I inquired, distracting myself with preparing us some tea.

"That'd be _our_ child, D," my lover corrected, bringing a smile to my lips. "Unless something _weirder_ than a _guy_ being _pregnant_ can be done by your kin, then it's _our_ kid," he chuckled humorlessly, before sighing again. "This'll be weird to no end…" It would, indeed: A human male was, against Nature's usual design, going to birth a child in the future.

And _that_ would be if it all happened _normally._ If there were any complications, though…; I shuddered, not wanting to think about such grim possibilities. Yet a question slipped past my resolution: "And are you scared, Leon?"

"How could I _not_ be, D? Damn it, I'm _pregnant!_ And, as far as _we_ know, such things _don't_ happen, aren't _supposed_ to happen… We _don't_ know what can happen to me, or to you, or to… to the… the _baby._ I'm scared shitless, D!"

"Your language, Leon, please," I whispered as I handed him a teacup, which he emptied in one gulp, his hands trembling as he placed it down on its saucer once more. I did not want to see him so frightened, but I was not as sure of anything myself; I could do nothing for him… "Oh, my love, believe me that, if I could, I _would_ correct this. Still, you can be sure that I will remain by your side to the very end of this," I assured him once more.

"Well… Since _you_ got me into this mess, it's the last I expected you to do," my detective replied with a half-smirk. I sat close beside him, grasping one of his hands tightly. "Let's…" Yet a knock at the main doors interrupted us, much to our annoyance.

Rising to my feet and promising Leon I would be back immediately, I went to open the door… "_Father!_"


	7. Delayed Narration: The Visitor

_**Delayed Narration **__  
The Visitor_

* * *

The door slammed shut on my father's face, before he could even say a word, and it took me nearly a minute to realize I had closed it myself. "Oh, my goodness, how rude!" came my father's voice from the other side, sounding shocked and offended, and I could almost picture his contradicting smirk: He was like that, playing one side when meaning another, and all for the sake of his own sick entertainment.

Hence why I did _not_ react to his words. "Why are you here, father?" I demanded, locking the doors just in case. I feared him, to be honest… And I wished to protect Leon, even over my heir and my grandfather's pet shop.

"Did my father _not_ tell you I would be coming to visit?" his tone remained neutral, apparently truly confused. "He told me of your problem with your human pet. The _adult_ one," he added, again amused as he referenced the last time he had called, and the horror of the time when Christopher had been in danger.

I did _not_ appreciate him reminding me _that._ "Oh, did he?" I hissed, feeling vaguely betrayed by my grandfather: Had he truly told my father of Leon's condition? Had he been the one he had mentioned in his letter? «I hope he is not.» I _really_ hoped otherwise…

"Yes, he did," my father answered, denying me my wish. "He also told me it was up to me to decide whether or not to come to your aid with my knowledge of our kin and the human sciences. I chose to have at least a little look on this case, though," Which was the most summarized yet logical version of the reason for him being at the pet shop's doorstep, considering how much he claimed to _hate_ my grandfather's dealings.

"I do not think we need your sarcasm and overall insanity here, father," I replied, crossing my arms as I glared at the door. "Go home," I added after a little while of silence.

The quiet extended some more, until my father sighed as loudly and dramatically as he only knew how to: "Oh, well; what can I do in such a situation, but leave?" I heard movement outside, yet did not dare to move, knowing he was still awaiting on the other side of the door when the noise died down. "My dearest son," he stopped to add, voice serious and cold, "know that you _will_ be needing help with your human. After all, the probabilities of his male body being torn apart by an unnatural pregnancy are _quite_ high, and…"

I nearly tore the doors open, the locks protesting the sudden impulse by breaking; I would lament it, but it could be saved for later… "I _hope_ you are _not_ playing your games with me again," I growled at him, seeing some unnamed emotion flash through his perfectly matched amethyst eyes.

"I would not do that right now," he assured me, smirk coming back to his darkly painted lips. "Believe me, my dearest son, I am far too interested in this case of yours to upset you. The knowledge I can attain from this is far too much to be risked for the sake of fun."

And I doubted his words. Each one of them.

* * *

Leon did not get to trust my father any more than I did myself after the short time of the evening we all spent together in the parlor, attempting to ease the tension between us. The fact that my father insisted he would stay for the night in whichever room we chose to give him did not help my detective to calm down either.

"Shit, that guy is giving me the creeps." And so was his language to me, but other things were occupying my mind, such as ordering the pet shop's magic to keep my father away from our bedroom while we slept. Hopefully, my grandfather had granted such powers over this place only to _me…_ "How can you two be related?" my lover asked as he changed clothes.

I smiled at the hidden compliment. "He birthed me, Leon, little more than twenty years ago. And much to his chagrin, I must add, because he had to leave his university before he was done with his career." I smirked as I saw him shudder at the sole thought of my kin's somewhat unique way of reproduction; unfortunately, it could also include his fears of his own pregnancy. "Do not think too much about it, my _dearest detective,_" I purred, lying down upon the bed, wishing he would listen and obey.

He sighed in resignation, letting himself fall heavily beside me, sinking on the mattress and making it bounce. He grimaced for a minute, as if nausea was bothering him; fortunately, it passed quick enough. "I don't know how can you expect me to just sit down and act calm, D," he whispered, throwing an arm over his eyes. "I mean, I know you've already done it yourself, and it must seem all easy to you, but you're… you're… _you!_"

I frowned, not liking the comparison of my case to his, even if it actually called on my dislike for humans more than anything logical. And, considering my lover was _human,_ I should not be doing that at all. "So you view it as _difficult,_ Leon?"

"Hell, I'm a _man!_ Only _women_ get pregnant, D!" he growled, throwing his arm aside to hit a pillow as he glared up at me. "How did it happen at all, damn it! It shouldn't have!" he protested loudly, as he had done earlier. Grasping my shoulder, he had me fearing he would try to harm _me_ for his distress, but he just pulled me closer to him. "If only it was _you_ instead of _me…_ I think it'd be better, damn it."

_That_ did not help my negative feelings toward humanity to recede, and I bit his tongue lightly when he kissed me to let him know. "We shall ask our doubts to my father tomorrow," I told him afterward. "He _claims_ to have an idea of how this should be, after all."

"He better," Leon groaned. I kissed him then, a smile on my lips.

* * *

After breakfast next morning, which was an unusually quiet affair, my lover and I joined my father at the parlor. My beloved heir was also there, sitting beside his grandparent and pulling small fistfuls of his long hair as he sipped some freshly brewed tea, either ignoring my child or not minding his actions. Whatever had made him go search my baby, though, caused further unease to rise in my mind, as I had _forgotten_ to ask the pet shop to protect him as well…

"Good morning!" my father greeted us cheerfully, placing his teacup aside. "I hope you two had a good night. Have you already taken your breakfast?"

I knew his interest on our well-being was _fake,_ though; the spark in his violet eyes told me so. I quickly retrieved my son from his side before replying: "Good morning to you as well, father. We are quite fine, thank you," abstaining from asking him in turn.

He did not frown in disapproval over my lack of manners, which proved my suspicions that he was in a mood to play with us: "Thought of _anything_ last night, young ones? Do you have any doubts I may clarify, any knowledge you wish for me to share to fill in the vast gaps of your ignorance?"

I frowned at his words, detecting disdain in them. Still, I prompted Leon to start asking him; after all, my father would play along, most probably answering accurately yet mockingly, perhaps thinking how amusing our questions were.

"Do you have any… idea as to _how…_ did this happen in the first place?" Leon growled lowly, keeping his language clean of anything distasteful for the sake of my son. I could perfectly fit his favorite curse words in the gaps, though.

And so could my father, if his growing smirk was anything to go by. "I have thought this through as well, Orcot, and I have reached some conclusions on that matter." He took a pause to try to summon his most serious façade, but his twitching lips told me he still wanted to laugh at the whole situation. "Firstly, you must know that, internally, our kin's reproductive systems, _both_ of them, are linked. Secondly, we are _unusually_ prone to conceiving hybrids, with just about _any_ living species."

I did not like the turn this was taking, even when my lover, a _detective,_ had yet to show the light of understanding on his face. If my father was saying what I thought he meant…

"Bringing both facts together, we have that you, Orcot, must have sired a child with my son, yet, before it could settle, my son unknowingly transferred it to you," my father summarized.

…Leon proceeded to blame _me_ for it.


	8. Delayed Narration: The Diagnosis

_**Delayed Narration  
**__The Diagnosis_

* * *

"Hell, if you weren't some inhuman horny beast hunting after my ass, this wouldn't have happened to me!" Leon nearly roared, and I could only cover my son's ears at the face of such verbal assault. My lover did not stop _there,_ though: "If you'd had some little bit of self-restraint, D, _everything_ would have been _normal._"

"Oh, so it is solely my fault now, _detective?_" I hissed venomously, glaring at him as I handed my son back to my father, who could not disguise his amusement any longer; I could not care less about it. "Must I remind you _who_ suggested this arrangement in the first place?"

"I know I told you _that,_ but you're the one who went all gay on me one day! And, damn it, before that, we weren't having any problems, D. Whatever made you want it that way caused this." He was blaming me and my desire of our strange case…

«Typical of a _human,_» I thought spitefully, turning my back on him, telling him over my shoulder: "I certainly do not remember you being unwilling, or even disagreeing when we commented the possibility."

"_What?_ How the Hell was I supposed to know you could do _this_ to me?"

"My goodness, human, be quiet!" my father ordered before I could respond. He did not look disturbed in any way: He actually seemed _pleased _by how things had turned out between my lover and I. A feeling of having been tricked invaded me, but my anger pushed it to the back of my mind for the time being. "Let us end the blaming session here for today. You both need to save your arguments against one another for the rest of the pregnancy, or you will not have _anything_ to yell to one another," he joked as he rose to his feet, my child calm in his embrace.

"The _rest_ of it?" Leon muttered. "Like Hell I'm going to go through this any longer!"

"What are you saying? Have you gone mad?" I asked him as evenly as I could, as panic overtook anger. "You _cannot_ be thinking of…"

"An abortion?" he helpfully finished, taking the conversation again on his hands. "I've been considering the possibility since all those tests came out positive, D," he admitted, and dread fell like cold rain upon me. "I guess it'll be kind of difficult to ensure the doctor's silence on my case, but a flash of my badge should keep his mouth shut."

"It _should,_" my father allowed, slowly walking over to Leon's side. "Still, Orcot, you should reconsider that option: Females of your kin are the ones who usually bear children, and, to them, such processes of removal do no further physical harm. Remember that you, though, are a _male,_ hence it should be a different procedure, _and_ we do not even _know_ where your child has been implanted at."

A swift glance of violet eyes my way told me what I needed to know: My father was trying to keep Leon from seeking help on his plan. I would have sighed in relief, feeling my father was on _my_ side, yet I remained wary, as his true intentions had not been revealed…

"Implanted at?" my detective asked, confused.

"Yes, Orcot; since you are not a female, we cannot assume the child is safely growing within a_ womb,_ can we?" my father answered, smirking as my lover blushed and began sinking into deep thought. Unfortunately for him, my father was _not_ going to give him a break to figure out _anything:_ "Now, Orcot, I believe that it would be better for me to assess your situation and the progress of your child, before we continue with this conversation."

I did not like the suggestion one bit, especially when my father reached for Leon's shoulder with his free hand, squeezing it lightly… I was _not_ jealous, of course, just worried of _what_ my father may do to my beloved detective.

* * *

After leaving my son in his room, the three of us headed for my bedroom, which I had shared with my lover for nearly a year already. My father left us for a minute, saying he had to bring some things from his own room, leaving us with the order of stripping Leon down before he came back. «He is just trying to see my detective naked,» I thought with a frown that the object of my affections did not miss.

"Hell, D, don't think I'm too comfortable with being naked with your dad in the room either," he said, pulling his shirt over his head and tousling his blond hair. I smiled appreciatively at his amazing build, wishing my father would behave as professionally as he could. "He's already some creepy bastard; can't imagine being so fucking defenseless in front of him…"

"I will be here," I assured him, a little bit bothered by the lust that was rising within as I saw my lover work on removing his jeans next. "I will not let him do you any harm, Leon."

He sighed, kicking his jeans away. "Damn, couldn't I at least keep my underwear on?" he groaned.

"No, remove that too," came my father's purring voice from the doorway, causing me to growl menacingly and Leon's face to contort with dread. He ignored us both, as expected, walking over to the side of the bed and placing down a heavy black bag on the floor.

As my lover sat down, pale instead of blushing over his nakedness, I distrustfully asked: "What is that you brought?"

"This? Just some laboratory and surgical equipment that I may need," my father replied plainly, before adding in a more cheerful tone that send shivers through my spine: "We will luckily not need them. Orcot, lay down now, please."

My detective gulped quite audibly, yet complied, wanting to cooperate to be done with this sooner, back to being shielded by his clothes. I wished for the same, as well as for his and our child's safety; from what I had gathered at the doorstep the day before, and what I heard earlier that same day, it could be that Leon's body would not endure this unnatural pregnancy of his, and my father was going to look for a way in which both would be fine…

Leon nearly screamed in fright and I hissed in Chinese as my father jumped onto the bed and straddled my lover's thighs, smirking mischievously: No hope of him being _professional_ about it, ever! "Do not be mad," he told us as he placed his hands down on my human's chest, "I could not quite reach him from any other side, and this is important."

His attention went back to his exploration of my lover, who was muttering under his breath several things I could not understand. His hands touched and lightly pressed against muscle and bone alike, the scratching done by his long fingernails making Leon's golden skin rise up with goose-bumps.

When his fingers began massaging instead of doing their work, though, I glared at him and growled: "_What_ do you think you are doing?"

"Oh, dear; I am sorry, my son," he sighed, feigning distress and shame. "It is just that your human pet is _so lovely!_" My detective shuddered.

I _wanted_ to slap him off my lover, but refrained from doing so, clasping my own hands together instead. "Get your own," I replied in Chinese.

"Jealous, my son?" he countered in the same language. At my frown, he turned back to Leon and told him in perfect English: "May you roll over, Orcot? I am done here." Surprising myself, I kept my composure at the face of an obvious attempt in angering me.

Leon did not. "What the fuck? You bastard! You want to rape me, don't you?"

"As much as the tease is a delightful song to my ears, Orcot, I must decline," my father replied, moving to allow my detective to lay on his belly next. His smirk grew, much to my chagrin, once he could settle down once again, this time straddling Leon's calves.

My father was having _fun,_ that much was obvious. Whether or not he was doing what he had told us he would, I ignored.

* * *

We left Leon alone in the bedroom, for him to redress, and to recover emotionally from the horrible experience of having my father as examining doctor. And, as my father had conveyed with a glance, so he would not hear the diagnosis…

"Orcot is going to die before the first trimester is over," my father said as he sat down on the couch at the parlor. I froze mid-step, as I was heading to prepare us tea and serve some sweet treats. "The child chose the _least_ safe place to implant itself on, and your detective is going to suffer for it," the fact that he had added _that_ with a no-nonsense tone to his voice did not help me calm down.


	9. Delayed Narration: The Surgery

_**Delayed Narration  
**__The Surgery_

* * *

"Is there not… a way to save… Leon?" I whispered weakly, deciding it was more important to keep my detective alive than the possibility of our child being born. "Could you not remove the child?"

"Now _you_ are also considering an abortion, my son?" my father replied, frowning. "Yet I _can_ do as you say," he declared. "I will _not,_ though."

"_What?_ _Why_ not?" I demanded, stomping over to stand in front of him, glaring daggers through his head. "Leon _can_ die, _will_ die, if you do not do it!"

Sensing my distress was true, he sighed unhappily. Looking away from me as if it hurt him, he told me: "I cannot interfere to such level, my dearest son, for a reason: Your grandfather ordered me _not_ to attempt to save the detective, even if I am free to save the child's life should it be endangered. Since this case overlaps, though, and refraining from helping your human was said to be a priority…"

A sob escaped my throat suddenly, my hands covering my face as the weight of my grandfather's betrayal hit full force: He had not come here himself to help us _because_ he cared not of the outcome in the least, and preferred to see Leon dead over _anything_ else, including my happiness. He had also probably sent my father in his place because he was much easier to blame and hate for whatever could happen; it _was_ working that way already, anyway, as I could not see _why_ he should not help us, my grandfather as absent from the pet shop as always, never to know of our little deal if we put some effort on keeping it secret.

"What's wrong, D?" came my lover's concerned voice from the doorway to the back of the shop. I looked up at him, letting my hands fall heavily at my sides, and I could not stop a small tear from running down my cheek. "Shit, what's going on?"

Panic rose within him, I could see through my blurred sight as I walked over to his side, throwing my arms around his neck and holding him as close as I could, the spark of the little murderous life developing inside of his body caressing my own aura at the contact.

"Leon," I whispered his name lovingly yet sadly, unable to say any other word. His arms wrapped around my waist in response, trying to be comforting though he ignored what caused my suffering. "Oh, Leon! It…"

My father left us alone in the parlor as I explained what he had told me to my detective, barely containing further tears and heartbreaking sobs; I could not bear the idea of losing my lover this way…

* * *

The next morning's sun found me curled up in bed, beneath the covers and deeply depressed: Leon had not slept with me, and I had not slept at all during his unexplained absence. I felt around the pet shop, using the magic granted by my treacherous grandfather, and found him still safely lying on the mattress of Christopher's old room, where I had allowed the youngest Orcot sibling to sleep whenever his brother could not retrieve him for the night.

The probe also told me my father had vanished, along with all his things and leaving no trail, and that my son needed of my attention. I could not care about either thing, my mind entirely taken by the horrible news of my lover's state, nothing being able of removing such thoughts.

Q-chan somehow found his way into my bedroom, and he began circling my still form, squeaking for me to rise and do my duties. I eventually relented, if only to be left alone again in peace: I saw to the pets' needs, which usually were not many as they were quite independent, as Nature provided them, and then I went to my child.

He sensed my unrest, so he calmed down and allowed me to properly feed him without demanding anything else from me. His violet eyes communicated what his lips and throat could yet not, his concern entwined with innocent hope that everything would get better. It reached my heart, and I kissed his forehead lightly, whispering against his soft skin: "If only the problem was as simple, enough to be vanished by your intention, so pure and true…"

But it was not.

* * *

Life had yet to stop giving me illusions, though, as I realized when I decided I should check on Leon: I found him still asleep, connected to a makeshift IV, with my father by the bedside, preparing the space for a surgical procedure… of which I had _not_ been informed. "What are you doing?" I demanded, fear for my detective's well-being hastening my pace to his side.

"I am going to operate on the human, my dearest son, is it not obvious?" my father replied, violet eyes with a sparkle of curiosity that made me shudder.

"My lover is _not_ your play toy, nor your test subject! Leave him alone, and get out of the pet shop." After all, he had been completely _gone_ in the morning, no trace left, returning in the same manner, without giving a warning of his presence.

"Oh, but he agreed with me to this procedure; I talked to him last night about this, and he said it would be for the best," my father explained.

I frowned. "And what about my grandfather's orders?"

My father smirked. "I was not forbidden to make agreements with the human: I will do my best with this operation that may save him _and_ the child, and he will pay me in return." Hope rose within me, warming my heart and soul as the possibility of a happier future stretched before me…

Except I still had a question to ask: "What would he be paying?"

One black eyebrow rose, my father's expression reflecting amusement as he answered: "I told him I would be happy with a pie." He demanded I leave the room to allow him to work, both of us nearly laughing at how ridiculously easy my grandfather's commands had been dealt with. My relief was complete then.

* * *

I spent the morning in the parlor, drinking tea and nibbling on some small pastries I had ordered to be delivered at the pet shop; the good thing of being a frequent customer of the bakery was that they were all too willing to do such service to me. My smile never vanished, knowing my father was competent, and Leon strong enough, for the surgery to be a success. Not even ignoring its details darkened my mood in the least.

At noon, I went for my son, who squealed happily when he sensed the situation was following a brighter path already. Hugging him close, I headed back to the parlor, where all the pets had dared to come out again, adding life to the room. It only aided my joy to expand further.

Yet Q-chan was sulking. Considering his obvious ties with my grandfather, being his informer and the only being that could find him at all times, I did not doubt he would have told the Valvertinger of the limitations imposed to my father's actions regarding my lover's case. I could only wish for his discretion at this point, since it would save Leon even against my grandfather's plans; I knew I would not bear his cold betrayal as well, with all of its implications…

"It has been done," my father announced with a tired sigh as he materialized out of thin air beside my armchair. "You may visit your detective if you so wish; he is awake," he informed as he took my child from my arms, his attention shifting to his grandson.

I took his hint, rising to my feet and heading for the room my lover was at, Q-chan squeaking in protest just once, chided by my father quite loudly, as if to make clear he was taking my side. I smiled at that, deciding I should do something for my father in turn someday…

Upon opening the door, Leon greeted me weakly: "Hey, D, babe," as he shifted on the bed to leave space for me to sit down.

"How are you?" I asked, taking his hand on mine. The aura of our child felt stronger now.

He chuckled. "Your dad's got some skills under that creepy exterior self. I feel better than _ever,_" he admitted. "And, hey, look! I don't even have a freaking mark left!" he added, throwing aside the bed sheet.

I would _never_ know if he had truly meant for me to see the miracle, or for me to be rendered lustful at the sight of his ever-gorgeous body, respected by the unknown surgery and made healthier to my detailed view. The way he looked at me with those sky-blue eyes, though, told me he had intended for me to join him underneath the covers all along. And I did.


	10. Dubious Procedure: The Change

_**Dubious Procedure  
**__The Change_

* * *

After our passion had made the afternoon and the evening pass in an enjoyable blur, Leon and I left the spare bedroom, intending to dine together before we headed back to our room. Presumably to _continue_ our delightful activity, if my lover's words and behavior were anything to go by.

My father looked up from the chocolate pudding he had attempted to feed my baby, and that was now thrown all over them both, humor brightening their faces instead of distress because of the mess. He smirked, while my son kept on giggling happily. "I want to think that the operation was an entire success, yes?"

I sighed, tired yet satisfied, and nodded his way. My detective threw an arm around my shoulders, grinning. "Feel as good as new," he declared. "The problem has been dealt with: No more baby and pregnancy shit."

My eyes widened in surprise at his claim, and I turned to look at him discreetly and speechless. The child's presence within his body was _stronger_ than before; how could he imply he was no longer pregnant? An abortion was _not_ what my father had performed, I knew. Which meant he had tricked Leon for my sake and the baby's. «What will he do when he realizes?» He would cuss, at the very least…

"Well, my son can still get pregnant," my father said softly, his smirk telling me he was going to keep my lover in the dark in respect to the true nature of the operation. I frowned; he seemed to _love_ to leave me dealing with the worse that was arising. "We would not want that to happen, would we?"

Leon shrugged. "Better him than me; more natural and stuff, already did it once…"

"Leon!" I growled, elbowing him without much force, fearing I might hurt the child somehow.

"Ok, I was joking, D," he whispered, playfully poking my nose. "I'll go out and buy some condoms." I did not oppose, nodding and keeping my expression as neutral as I could. I guessed it would be for the best that Leon bought them, since our current situation could only lead to him _and_ me being pregnant at the same time. "But, first, let's have breakfast! I'm starving!" he cheerfully said, pushing me along the length of the table, then sitting me down before he did so himself.

* * *

We were waiting for my detective to return from his personal errand in the parlor, my father and I calmly drinking tea as my son played with Q-chan. Silence reigned, even when it was so charged with conflicting sides and emotions, that most of my pets kept away from us, much to my displeasure and my father's indifference.

"Father?" I finally muttered, placing my teacup upon its saucer. I did not obtain a reaction from him, but I knew he listened. "I want you to tell me _what_ did you tell Leon."

Sighing and frowning, he took a last sip of his tea before replying: "I said I would perform a surgery on him that would save his life." Then, smirking, he added: "I just forgot to tell him it would also save the child." Meaning he had purposefully tricked my lover into remaining pregnant.

I could not find anything wrong with _that,_ though; I wished our child would be born, the love between us incarnated, the beginning of a life together as a family… Yet I still would have preferred Leon had been told the truth, as living a lie was not something that would please him, perhaps even making him _hate_ our child. «I want him to be willing, to see this as the miracle it is…»

"Do not be mad at me, my dearest son," my father purred, presumably entertained enough with our case. "All I did was following the orders of your grandfather: I had to save your child's life, as he said."

"Your plans are usually _that_ convoluted," I sighed. "First, you overcame the limitation of helping my detective by claiming you were doing business with him, and now you go back to the commands issued by my grandfather to avoid killing our child without bothering to comment it to _anybody._"

A little laugh ensued, then a short phrase: "I operate by finding loopholes, my son." I would _never_ understand him, and nobody would ever stop him, that much I understood from his words.

"And what was it that you did to my lover?" I asked after a while of deep silence.

"I cannot tell you the _exact_ thing, yet I shall tell you the summarized version: I had to cut out the little tissue upon which your child implanted itself on, and, in the space it left, I had to connect a… a…" it was then that he started giggling amusedly.

"A _what,_ father?" I pressed, offended by his childish behavior.

He took a breath to calm down, yet his laughter changed into a smirk that made me highly uncomfortable. "I have already done this procedure on some animals; on _mammals,_ since they are mostly the viviparous ones," he admitted, and I shuddered: He had experimented on _animals?_ Being one of our kin, he had _dared?_ "Among them, I have done primates with extremely good results, and…"

"But _what_ did you do to Leon?" I demanded, growling.

"I transplanted him an artificial womb," he replied plainly, before he had another giggling fit at seeing the expression on my face.

«Leon is not as different from me now,» I suddenly thought, upon realizing he could bear children within his body from then onwards, without having the difficulty of them ever getting lost among the many organs, or not receiving the proper support for their development… "Can he conceive as well?" I heard my own voice asking my father.

"Do not be foolish, my dearest son," he actually snapped, as if I had truly offended him. "Orcot is still fully male, yet now customized to your own differences toward his kin: He got pregnant this one time, and it can still happen many years from now, but he is now safer for both himself and the child." Just like I had thought, then.

"Is he out of risk completely?"

Shaking his head, my father softly answered: "There are many changes that are yet to be provided for, if the child is to be healthy when it is born, and your detective to survive through pregnancy and childbirth alike without any kind of physical or psychological harm."

"What has to be done?" I sighed in resignation, knowing we did not have another option, but to obey my father's already schemed plan.

"Firstly, you need to tell your human. Then, you two must come to me…" he trailed off, hearing the opening main doors: Leon was back.

* * *

My beloved detective was _not_ happy with knowing he was still pregnant, as his yelling made evident. What I was surprised about, though, was that he had figured it out on his own while he was away; he did not tell me how, and I had no idea of what had made him realize. "What now?" he muttered sulkily at last, letting himself fall upon the couch beside me, making me wince as I feared he would hurt the baby…

"Just so you know, Orcot, miscarriages are more dangerous than they seem to be; take care of yourself, if you will please," my father hissed, probably feeling my lover was putting his whole experiment at risk.

"I'm not a child," Leon replied, glancing away.

"But you are _with_ child, human!" My detective growled something nonsensical. "The first thing we must do is to soften your muscular mass; that is, changing your diet and your daily activity habits."

"What? Why?" Leon nearly whined. I knew he was happy of being as he was, and that he would prefer to remain like that. Changes, though, would be needed. And why lie? I would also like him to alter his diet, and now I had an excuse for it.

"Because muscles, as you have them, may be _gorgeous,_" my father purred, making us both shudder, "but they are not the optimal thing for a pregnancy." Pulling a folded paper from his sleeve, he read it before adding: "We will also aid the change along with hormones, _female hormones,_ so your body does not reject the child or the womb, and so it understands what it must do to support them both." My father rose to his feet, going back to his room to fetch a syringe and the vial with the solution to start the whole process.

Leon sighed in resignation, and I could tell he was not happy… "I promise to help you," I whispered, grasping his hand. "I will stay by your side, my love."

My detective chuckled humorlessly, but he smiled weakly at me. "Thanks, D; just promise the next baby will remain inside of you, please." I nodded and kissed him softly, silently thanking his renewed acceptance.


	11. Dubious Procedure: The Month

_**Dubious Procedure  
**__The Month_

* * *

We woke up hours later than usual, lazily stretching and holding each other close, until it dawned within our minds: "Leon, you did not run for the bathroom at dawn," I whispered, pleased and shocked at the same time.

And so was my detective. "Wow," he uttered simply, hugging me tighter as relief washed through him, expected for a long time and _very_ welcome. Even the small sparkle of life our child was felt calmer. "Talk about a miracle, D." Indeed, a miracle, after nearly a month of the early curse that rose us without missing a beat. "Think it's because of what your dad did to me?"

"I do not know, Leon," I sighed, a smile on my lips. "We would need to ask him," I suggested, my tone purposefully leveled to conceal that I wished to remain in bed with him a while longer, and worry about it later.

He got the message, though my mood did not pass through. "Hell, I want to nap for another while, too," he said, shifting under the covers with me on his arms until he was comfortable enough to fall asleep once more.

I was left to deal with my desire for my lover in the slowly advancing and relatively silent morning, Leon snoring by my ear.

* * *

"It was the surgery," my father told me as he brought a tray with our breakfast to my room, while my detective took a shower. "The hormones should have the opposite effect on him. Eventually."

So this peace was not to last? "Leon will _not_ be happy to hear that," I whispered, leaning against the closed doors, watching my father settle down the tray on a small table.

"You _do not_ need to tell him. He can discover it on his own, I assure you." The smirk on his lips said he _wanted_ that to happen…

I frowned. "I cannot let him be in the dark of his own situation like that, father." He served tea, feigning he was ignoring my words. "And I have another question, regarding the hormone treatment you are giving him." To that, his violet eyes sparkled with his typical mischief, and I shuddered involuntarily. "How much will he change?" I asked worriedly after a minute of silence.

"_Just_ the necessary for the child to develop properly, during and after the pregnancy," my father sighed. "Yet, considering he is bearing a hybrid of human and our kin, unexpected changes may occur…" he trailed off, glancing meaningfully at me while mixing two sugar spoonfuls in Leon's teacup.

"He does not like sugar in his tea," I said nearly automatically, as the door to the bathroom opened.

Leon emerged, momentarily seeming startled at seeing _my father_ in _our bedroom,_ forgetting he was only wearing a towel. The appreciative look my father gave him killed my own, as I glared at him, crossing my arms as my detective paled and hurried back into the bathroom. "Damn it, D, warn me when you dad's here!" he yelled through the locked door.

"Father, _stop_ looking at _my_ lover as if you wished you could eat him!" I hissed in Chinese, as I opened the bedroom's door and silently demanded him to leave.

"Jealous, my son?" he replied in our native language, as he had once, when he had done the examination. He walked out with a satisfied smirk on his lips, and I was tempted to slam the door shut behind him.

Leon came out again, sighing in relief and going to wrap his bare arms around my waist. "You cussed him out?" he chuckled before he kissed my neck.

"I do not cuss."

"Then what was that angry Chinese I heard? It definitely didn't sound like thanks, or see you later." He let go, going over to the breakfast tray my father had left us. Taking his cup, he emptied it of the sugared tea without squirming or protesting, as he _always_ did…

* * *

Once we were done with breakfast, the day seemed to stretch before us uneventfully and eternally. My own tasks were already being seen to: My child was being taken care of, and the animals could take care of themselves while the pet shop remained closed to all clients. And Leon had _nothing_ to do: Not only was he on extended leave from the police department, much to my relief, but…

"Orcot, do _not_ move a finger!" my father called as my lover proceeded to take our breakfast tray to the kitchen.

"What? Why?" Leon growled, stopping regardless.

My father rose quickly to his feet and hurried over to leave my son on my arms, before he walked over to my detective, yanking the tray from his grasp. "You are pregnant," my father said unhelpfully, as we already knew. "And, as I said yester night, we need to change your daily activity habits in order to properly prepare your body for the baby." With that, he headed for the kitchen, leaving Leon staring at his retreating back.

"Hell, what's with your dad?" he asked, more like voicing his thoughts than actually questioning me. Shrugging, he went to sit beside me. My son's violet eyes got fixed on him as soon as he did, a little frown on his pretty face.

After Leon commented on it, I laughed lightly, hugging my baby closer. "He seems to know you are bearing his half-sibling."

"He doesn't seem too happy with it," my lover chuckled, yet he suddenly appeared to be _so far away. _"His half-sibling…" His situation was dawning on him more fully, I sensed, both dreading and hoping for the result of his personal reflections. "How much longer?" he whispered.

"Eight months or so," replied my father, returning from the kitchen and fixing his sleeves, as if he had washed the dishes as well. "If we take care of you and the child properly, that should be the time until you give birth."

Leon stiffened, paling a little bit. "And how will _that…?_"

"We shall decide as you progress, whether naturally or surgically," my father interrupted, knowing my lover did not have the will to finish the question. "And, since we cannot know right now, Orcot, I advise you to _relax,_" he told him with a smile.

* * *

During the whole following week, the nausea that ruined the mornings of my detective did not return, even when the hormone treatment continued. I had already put him on a warning by then, though, and he had _not_ been happy, just like I had predicted, yet he proceeded to enjoy his peace for as long as it lasted. His rest was furthered by my father's order: Leon was _not_ going to do a thing until after the first trimester, which meant he was practically locked in our room all day…

"I'm bored," he muttered sulkily, stretched over the bed in such way he occupied its whole surface. I sat beside him, carefully pushing aside some of his golden locks of hair. "You sure we can't have sex?"

"That is what my father advised," I sighed. "It would be too much, he said."

"Too much what?" my lover chuckled humorlessly, motioning for me to lie beside him, as he had also been forbidden to pull or push me for the same reason. "Too much fun he doesn't get to participate on?" he joked, caressing my cheek tenderly.

I frowned. "I do not wish to see it that way." It was better to think my father had done it for Leon and the child's well-being… "And too much activity, he said," I giggled.

"I'm not keeping my body shape _that_ way; why should sex matter?" he mumbled, allowing me to settle against him. I knew he was going to take another nap, being as bored and inactive as he was. "Your dad's not even a _doctor,_ anyway. He doesn't know… He's just experimenting… with us…" he yawned.

And he settled the doubt in my mind, as he once again fell asleep, snoring as loudly as he had made his custom to.

* * *

Hours later, I was heading for the kitchen, a sigh I let go trembling slightly: Leon had _not_ slept well, rising as suddenly as if the bed was aflame, and running for the bathroom without explanation. It was not needed, though, as I heard the dreadful heaving on the other side of the closed door…

"How is your human, my dearest son?" my father asked when I came into the kitchen.

I saw my son sitting perilously close to the border of a counter, but I abstained from commenting on my father's methods of taking care of his grandchild, instead replying tonelessly: "The nausea came back. I will take him something…"

Before I could prepare one of the teas, though, my father grabbed my hand. "I have a personal remedy ready," he said, handing me a full teacup.

"What is it?" I inquired, not trusting his expression and voice.

"It will not hurt them," he replied simply, smirking.


	12. Dubious Procedure: The Remedy

_**Dubious Procedure  
**__The Remedy_

* * *

My father had to trail after me that night, to make sure I gave Leon the remedy, and that he drank it to the last drop. Even my lover felt my distrust, my father's intent observation… but then he melted back against the pillows, falling asleep suddenly, with such a calm expression on his face, I felt incredibly relieved, too focused in lovingly watching him dream.

"The human is fine, the child is fine," my father informed, doing a quick examination I barely noticed. "And that tea should aid along the hormones."

I turned to look at him. "His nausea will just get _worse!_"

"And his appetite will increase. His need to sleep and rest should be more urgent, too," my father added to my exclamation with an even tone. "The nausea should disappear eventually, naturally, but the other two need to be induced at this point: So far, he has been under treatment for a week, yet he has shown no relevant changes in his behavior…"

I knew there would have been complications had my father abstained from observing Leon as obsessively, as he would an experiment's test subject, and acted for the best of it all without even consulting us, but I was not seeing forward to having to take care of more stressful morning sickness moments; I was sure my lover would not either. "How long will it be until these changes manifest themselves?"

"If he sleeps through the whole night, then they should start tomorrow morning," my father replied cheerfully before he left the bedroom, leaving me alone to dread the results of his intervention.

* * *

The next morning, we saw that, indeed, the effects of my father's dubious remedy had developed during the night's sleep. I could only kneel by Leon's side in the bathroom, terrified and distressed as I offered him all the support I could, yet I felt incredibly useless just the same.

"God…" he moaned once, before the last heaves, afterward letting himself fall heavily against me, groaning as he wrapped his arms around his middle. "I feel _terrible_ this morning, D," he said, his blue eyes fixed on mine, the unshed tears and the indescribable pain on them hurting me in turn.

"At least, you can rest now," I whispered, running one of my hands over his back, hoping it would soothe him, "for the remaining length of this day, even, if you so wish."

His smile seemed strained. "Yeah, that's pretty good." I helped him up to his feet when he asked me to, careful not to let my grip on his arms slip. Once he was standing steadily, I guided him back to the bedroom and onto the bed, placing the covers over him before I leant forward and kissed his forehead lightly. "You're such a tease," he chuckled.

"How so?"

"Just saying, just saying…" he muttered, stretching and rolling a little until he found the most comfortable position to lie down. "Hey, you won't believe this, D, but," he began, his cheeks reddening even when his lips paled, "I'm kind of hungry."

I know my eyes must have widened to the size of saucers then. "You are?"

"Yeah. That's rather weird, isn't it? After what just happened."

I sighed, shaking my head; I had not yet explained what my father had given him last night, and my detective had just assumed it was some kind of tea to help him sleep through the night without problem. "It is just Nature following her course: You need to eat if the baby is to grow properly," I told him with a smile.

"If I need to eat, then why do I throw up at all?" he inquired as would an innocent child.

I stared for a second or two before replying: "I would not know _why,_ Leon, it just is that way," I turned to leave. Stopping with a hand on the door, I asked over my shoulder: "And what would you like me to bring you for breakfast, Leon?" I thought it would be _very_ amusing, after all, if he was already starting with those bizarre cravings human females claimed to suffer, or if he would ever get them, and _what_ would they consist of… «Will he consume more sugar?» I wondered, remembering the tea from days ago.

"I'd like…" he began, listing his typical breakfast, yet with the quantities increasing slightly compared to the usual portions. At least, even if he was not ordering for something _healthier_ for him, he seemed to need more, and that was relieving enough.

* * *

My father was gone again, as I noticed while making Leon's breakfast and my own. I would not have cared that much about his disappearance if only he had _not_ taken my son with him, which made me wary enough to ruin the tea, yet not to the level of abandoning my lover to go seek the rest of my family: After all, our kin's instinct opposed damaging one another, considering our reduced numbers…

Q-chan appeared out of nowhere of a sudden, when I was already heading back to the bedroom. He was holding a letter and squeaking, flying around my head. "Allow me to see to Leon first, please," I told him, before I pushed open the door and went in. Uncharacteristically, he followed; he did not favor my detective's presence, yet he did not even stop to bother him on the bed.

"What's the flying evil thingy doing _here?_" Leon hissed, eyeing my Valvertinger suspiciously. I sighed, preparing the little table within the room for our breakfast. My lover came to wrap his arms around my waist while I was busy with my task, and he kissed my neck lightly. "Hey, thanks," he whispered, referring to the breakfast. "Looks and smells _delicious._" I chuckled; I had guessed he would say as much about it.

"You are quite welcome, my dearest Leon," I purred, finally turning in his embrace, kissing him, lamenting we could go no further right now. "Sit down and eat, yes? I need to read what Q-chan brought." I did not need to tell him twice, as he sat and _engulfed_ the food like a starving man.

I extended my hand toward the Valvertinger still flying around the room, and he dropped the letter on my lap before accepting a caress. I cut through the envelope's seal with a fingernail, noticing a small note on the back that claimed it to be of my father's.

He had written, as usual, in the most bizarre way possible, being _vaguer_ than when he talked, and I barely managed to get an idea of where had he gone to with my child: He said he had gone to report back to my grandfather, just so he did not get mad at us later, when it would be risky to have him angered given Leon's pregnancy. He had, apparently, taken my son with him to mellow down and distract my eldest…

"Oh, dear," I sighed softly, already able to picture the scene in my mind, my grandfather too taken my his great-grandson to care about what my father had to say about Leon. «It _might_ be for the best,» I reasoned, but I was not as convinced.

"What's up, D? Bad news?" my lover asked between mouthfuls of eggs and bacon, buttered toast and whole gulps of juice.

"I do not yet know," I whispered, folding the letter and putting it back in the envelope. "My father is acting without my consent, but he might be doing it for our own good…"

"What did he do?"

"He took my son away with him to go visit my grandfather," I groaned, trying to will away a persistent and slowly rising dread.

"Oh." My detective went back to his breakfast, and I joined him, Q-chan posed on my shoulder and demanding the occasional strawberry or cookie.

The issue was not brought back, not even when my father and my son returned that evening. My parent did not mention a thing, either, and my child did not yet speak…

* * *

Time passed by rather hastily after the remedy and the visit to my grandfather, plagued by Leon's increasingly _worse_ nausea attacks, followed by a voracious appetite and a nearly perpetual tiredness, which was the guilty one for him falling asleep on chairs and in the bathtub more than once during that month. Everything was so _monotonous…_

"Two months so far, and everything is _perfect!_" my father said one evening, after another one of his quick examinations before everyone went to bed.

But Leon was frowning. "What is wrong?" I inquired softly.

He replied through gritted teeth: "I'm _fat._" He was _not,_ though he _had_ gained weight; he did not look _bad,_ in my opinion. "And my clothes are_ uncomfortable._"

"Maybe you could borrow a cheongsam? Or a kimono?" my father suggested, smirking.

"I'm not wearing a _dress!_" Leon growled.

Yet I could not help imagining my lover in rich silks… He would look _wondrous!_


	13. Dubious Procedure: The Return

_**Dubious Procedure  
**__The Return_

* * *

In the end, Leon had the last word on what he should be wearing, but just because my father told me upsetting my lover could have adverse effects on his health and the child's. "Then you wish to go out shopping tomorrow, Leon?" I asked him once my father left our room.

"It'd be nice," he yawned. "Except I've got limited funds; I'll just buy the basics…"

I was unsure whether or not I was being baited into agreeing to pay for him; either way, I was willing to do so, as it was something I _could_ do to help him. "I will aid you, if you want," I offered, lying beside him on the bed and covering us both.

"That'd be _lovely,_" he replied, chuckling before kissing me. "I promise not to make you spend much." _I_ would be doing that, since I thought he could do with a full wardrobe change: Jeans and T-shirts, while reasonably sexy when worn by my lover, were something he could abstain in order to look _better,_ more _presentable…_

"Let us sleep now, then," I sighed. Leon did not need to be told twice.

* * *

The following afternoon, after a typical morning that swayed between nausea and a ravenous appetite, Leon and I found ourselves in one of those department stores, under my insistence that I would only pay for him if he bought decent clothing. "You're rather picky," my detective commented, "even though these are going to be _my_ clothes."

"I am just curious as to how you would look with finer garments, my dearest Leon," I purred, making him blush lightly. "And it is either _this,_ or wearing a cheongsam I get for you from the pet shop itself," I teased him.

"I'm _not_ wearing a _dress,_ D!" he growled, and I laughed lightly.

He turned his back on me, proceeding to search for something he liked, while I hovered around him, in case he needed my help. Still, I got bored after a little while, as he did not ask my opinion and he did not seem to be able to make a choice, going around the place several times without picking anything…

"Leon!" a feminine voice suddenly called, startling me, yet just making my lover turn around to face his partner, Jill.

"Hey, Jill," he greeted simply, allowing her to hug him. "Long time no see."

"Yeah," she admitted, truly glad to see him again, I could sense. Then, she turned to look at me. "Oh, hello, Count! How have you been?"

I smiled politely, as something in the back of my mind began awakening… "Miss Jill, I have been fine, thank you."

"Leon's _behaving,_ right?" she inquired, elbowing my lover and making me wince, knowing she ignored his condition and would not have the same care as I with him. "He hasn't thrown your shop into total chaos, has he?" My detective frowned, crossing his arms over his chest.

"He has not," I assured her. "But, of course, he has not been of help either," I added, smirking amusedly, making her giggle and my lover mumble unintelligibly under his breath. "Have you fared well, Miss Jill?"

At my question, her expression became grim and tired. "Criminals generally don't rest, Count, and neither do _we,_" she said. "We're currently getting some very important leads for a nasty case linked to some mafia group…" Sighing, she turned to face Leon: "You'd do better on that one, the chief says. He can't wait until you come back from your extended leave."

It was then that the thought bothering me arose, reminding me only _two weeks_ remained for my detective to go back to the precinct, back to the dangerous streets his job required him to course every day. He seemed to realize the same, by the way he hesitated to reply to his partner: "Oh, yeah; it's almost time, isn't it?"

"Yeah!" Jill sighed in relief. "Two weeks, actually. Which is _good,_ since we've never needed your help like this before!"

Dread was rising within me with each of her words, feeding the fear for the safety of my detective and our child, and I grasped my lover's arm tightly before I addressed her: "Leon has not yet healed fully, Miss Jill; he still suffers from his ailment. He needs more time to rest…"

Her relief vanished completely. "Well," she whispered, "he should personally tell that to the chief when he returns. He _needs_ to return, even if it's to quit the force…" she explained. "It'll be hard to let our best homicide detective go like this," she sighed, "but it'd be even _worse_ if we saw him succumb to a health issue." Crossing her arms, she turned to look at us suspiciously: "And what is it that you have, Leon?"

"Eh… It's kind of hard to explain _here,_ Jill," my lover avoided answering, knowing the same as I: She would not believe a word if we actually told her.

"Well, I hope you can tell the chief, Leon; he won't let you go just because of a persistent stomach flu," she chuckled, poking his cheek. "He won't let you see the end of it if you turn up unfit for the job, either." Then she added in a whisper, meant to be heard only by him, but that I also listened: "You've gained some weight, by the way. Doesn't look _bad,_ you know? It could be _bad_ for your _health,_ though, considering your line of work."

My detective groaned. "Don't poke me, Jill; I'm not a baby, and I _do mind_ you doing it." She giggled in a good humor we did not share, yet tried to feign. Then she left, saying she had little time to finish what she had come to do, and we were left with the thought of Leon's return to the precinct to haunt our day…

* * *

"Leon, _please,_ promise to me you will only go and tell the chief you are quitting," I nearly cried against the body of my lover, not letting him go even though he was going to be _late._ "You _must_ return soon, _please…_"

"Don't worry, D, I will," he whispered as he smoothed down my hair soothingly. "Just let me go now, or the chief will be _worse_ than mad and won't even let me speak a word." When I did not move, he motioned for my father to come free him; he pried my arms off my lover, wrapping them around myself and pulling me away. "I'll be back in a while, D." With that, he got out of the pet shop before I could free myself from my father's grasp.

I was led back into the parlor, carefully placed down on the couch. "Do not be upset, my dearest son," my father said, serving tea. "Your human shall be back soon, and all will be well." He offered me a full cup, which I rejected.

"I cannot be calm until he returns," I told him. "I already explained it to you, what his partner said about their current case…"

"Orcot will be _fine,_ son," my father insisted. "They cannot deny him his right to quit whenever he pleases, no matter what they have to handle at the moment." He rose to his feet again, offering me his hand. "Let us go tend to your pets, or to your son. _Something_ to do should take your mind off your worry."

Hours passed without me noticing, the tasks my father had taken out of thin air serving to distract my mind. That was, at least, until we received a call from Jill: "Leon's in the hospital, Count," she whispered, sounding distressed, yet not even _half_ of what I felt at that moment. I hung up without realizing I had…

"I will accompany you," my father told me once I explained, nearly fainting at the sole thought of my lover having been harmed in any way. Thanks to him, I soon found myself sitting beside Jill in one of those horrible hospital waiting rooms… "I will go have a word with the doctor tending to your detective," he whispered in Chinese, leaving me with Leon's partner.

"Count, I'm so sorry this happened," Jill said apologetically, and I could only let a trembling sigh free. "We had just gotten this urgent call, and the chief was so tense… He didn't hear Leon at all."

"I understand." I did not. "I would like to know _what_ happened to him." I did _not._

She grasped my hand tightly, trying to comfort me as she said: "He was shot."

I could not help sobbing, and I turned to look elsewhere. "I _want_ to see him." And _that_ I truly did.

"You can't; not yet. The doctor said he had to operate to heal him completely." After a small pause, she added: "He said he noticed something _weird_ in Leon as well; perhaps what's been making him so ill."

«Oh, no…» Now our child was also endangered.


	14. Developing Future: The Ally

_**Developing Future  
**__The Ally_

* * *

A nurse approached Jill and I after nearly an hour, saying Leon's doctor wished to see me in his office. "Go, Count," my lover's partner told me, "I'll wait here." And, even though I could not cease wondering why I was being summoned, I followed the woman through the sickly white halls.

Once the door opened, though, I understood why I had been called: My father was there, lounging on one of the chairs with his legs crossed. The doctor was nowhere to be seen, on the other hand. "What happened?" I asked him in our native Chinese, just in case our discussion led to Leon's condition.

"I made your lover's doctor reason that he does not need to further his analysis on your human's _strange_ condition," he replied, smirking mischievously. "It took me a while, but he relented…"

"Where does that leave Leon?"

"He will return to the pet shop soon, worry not," he told me, reaching out to push some strands of my hair off my face. "Orcot should only stay the necessary for his bullet wounds to heal properly; I could not negotiate for more."

I sighed in relief and shuddered in dread at the same time, my detective's return and hearing of his wounds causing conflicting emotions to course through me… And then I began wondering, eyeing my father suspiciously: "_How_ did you convince the doctor?"

"I can be _very persuasive _sometimes, my dearest son," he purred. It was then that I noticed the two unbuttoned clasps of his cheongsam.

* * *

We were allowed to see my detective after yet another hour, without restrictions on our time of visit. I sat down by the bed, reaching out to clasp his hand, sensing his pulse and the small aura of our child at the contact; he did not become conscious, though, and I worried for his well-being, even when I had already accompanied his still form several times in the past, in similar situations…

"The doctor said he won't be checking on that _thing_ he found in Leon's body," Jill whispered at me when she entered, minutes later, going to stand beside me. "And what if it's _dangerous,_ Count? I think we should report him to his superiors for negligence, and have someone else see Leon."

I could only sigh, not able to reveal our secret to her, and truly feeling for such situation: I guessed my lover would like his best friend knowing about the child he was bearing, yet it _should_ not be, as his safety and veracity could be put in unnecessary risk regardless.

Or, at least, _I_ thought that; my father did not seem to share my opinion. "It is not harmful, Miss Jill, what was found within Orcot," he said softly, appearing behind Jill without her noticing, startling her. "And I happen to be the one currently treating him of this… mysterious illness of his."

"Oh, really?" the young woman exclaimed, turning to face my father fully. "Are you even a doctor?"

"I _do_ have a doctorate, if that is what you mean," my father replied with a smirk. "Now, if you will, Miss Jill…"

"I _won't._"

"…I shall explain to you what is ailing your friend so." With that, he made a hand gesture signaling for her to move along to the farthest corner of the room, which was not _that_ far; it would still be within my earshot, but, at least, Leon would not hear their conversation.

I tried to interfere in the reveal: "_Cousin,_ I do not think it is proper for you to discuss such things with Miss Jill."

His violet eyes met mine for just a second, before he shrugged and pulled her along. "Information has _never_ hurt anyone, _son._"

Jill stared at him when his words broke our hastily made family relationship, since she would _obviously_ not believe the _truth;_ it was not safe for our kin, either, for her to know of such blood ties…

Yet there was no stopping my father, as always.

* * *

Two weeks later found us in a brighter mood altogether, as the end of the first trimester was marked without further complications. We even reached the conclusion that, had Leon not been shot, nothing would have presented a risk to his or the baby's health. We could not yet celebrate, though, as my lover was still in the hospital, his wounds healing slower than normal. "His body is using all its resources and energy on supporting the child's life," my father explained.

"Don't talk as if I wasn't here, damn it!" Leon growled, and I laughed softly, soothing him down again through soft caresses.

It was like this that Jill found us, when she came to visit as she did nearly every day, now that she knew of my lover's condition: I was actually surprised she had overcome her shock and disbelief so quickly… "How's the mommy-to-be faring today?" she greeted as she walked over to sit by the bed with me.

Leon frowned, even though he should already be used to her teases, as they had been occurring since she had been told of our child. His expression changed, though, when she pulled out a small gift-wrapped box from her purse. "What's that?" he asked curiously.

"This? Just a gift for you," she said with a smile, handing the present to him.

He immediately attacked the bright paper enveloping the box, taking out of it a rather nice wrist watch. "Wow, thanks, Jill," he chuckled. "But why?" I also wondered the same…

"Because you've been brave so far, Leon," she whispered fondly, "not rejecting the small miracle that happened to you. And I wished to give you an encouragement and a reward for your actions so far; you deserve something."

"Oh, well. Humans!" my father sighed in Chinese. "They have the strangest thoughts and motives." I glared at him, so he would be respectful, but the kind present Jill had brought to my lover had warmed me to the point that my gaze held no menace. Or, at least, I wanted to think so; otherwise, my father was ignoring me again…

"Hell, it isn't as if you guys were any better!" my detective growled.

…in _perfect_ Chinese.

When he was uncomfortable enough with us three staring at him, he asked: "What's wrong with you all?"

"Oh, dear!" my father gasped, seeming ecstatic.

"Leon, you _spoke_ in Chinese," Jill told him, still gaping.

He turned to look at me; I nodded to confirm him the veracity of his partner's words. "How did I do that?" he muttered slowly, as if trying to make sure he communicated in his native English.

"It must be the exposure to the aura of the child, as well as ours," my father answered. "After a certain amount of time has gone by besides any being of our kin, even the mortal humans may change greatly and learn some of our abilities, such as the one making us understand all languages, regardless of its origin and apparent difficulty," he explained in Chinese once more, baiting my lover into replying in the same language, or, at least, give signal of his understanding.

He did not show either, much to our hidden disappointment: "So I'm absorbing your magic or whatever?" he asked. "Because, you all know, I don't know any Chinese…"

"Yes, you are," my father sighed. "You should show more strange changes as your pregnancy progresses, and not only _physically,_ which will be the most obvious. Whether or not these other changes are permanent, we shall see with time."

I surely hoped they _would_ remain: I did not want to feel as if I was excluding my detective from the perspective of the world my kin held… even if that meant rejecting the fact that he was a _human._

* * *

Once we were back at the pet shop, days afterward, more acquired abilities made their appearance in my lover: He could see and hear with perfect clarity all of the animals that surrounded him in concern for his well-being and the child's. "This is _weird,_" he declared plainly, having my dearest pets sitting along with him on the couch in the parlor.

"It happens to be normal for me, Leon," I told him, kissing his cheek.

"Yeah, but it's _new_ for _me,_ D."

"Oh, stop whining, human!" my father exclaimed, coming into the room with my son awkwardly held on one arm, while the free hand perilously balanced the tea tray. "It is not as if it was _dangerous_ or _highly uncomfortable;_ it is just a different way of viewing reality."

My detective sighed, shifting until he found a more comfortable position, which was one that kept him at a minimum contact with the unmoving pets that kept smiling up at him and whispering between themselves. "If I had known this freak thing would happen to me…" he groaned, throwing an arm over his eyes.

My father then gave him a teacup with _four_ sugar spoonfuls; he did not complain.


	15. Developing Future: The Doctor

_**Developing Future  
**__The Doctor_

* * *

"I want a doctor!" Leon demanded one evening, not much after the incident with the pets in the parlor.

I was lying beside him on the bed, distracted with watching and running my fingertips over his abdomen and the very slight bulge that was progressively growing, in firmness and dimensions, as our child developed, while my father put everything back in place after checking on my lover's condition. Both of us looked at him when he made his request, freezing in mid-motion.

"I _am_ a doctor, Orcot," my father hissed after a moment, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring down at my detective.

"You're not a doctor in _human health,_ but in freak genetic stuff," Leon explained through gritted teeth. "I want an actual doctor, a _medic,_ to make a diagnosis as well."

"Why would you _ever_ want that, human? Do I not suffice? Is my knowledge falling short to your expectations? Do you think we should call to the hospital and ask if they have a specialist in _male pregnancies?_" my father countered, still offended. After all, whenever someone questioned anything related to his career, like my grandfather had done several times, he was the most unreasonable living being in existence…

Of course, my lover did not have his temper just as decoration: "Hell, can't you recognize that you're already having trouble with _everything,_ because you know _nothing_ of actual humans? Can't you acknowledge you're not the most prepared… non-human person for this job?"

"_What_ have I done to make you believe such foolish things?" My father then turned at me: "Did you tell him something?" I immediately shook my head to deny my involvement.

"The freaky diet you have me in to fatten me up, with all the sugar and shit you two usually eat. The _female_ hormones you're giving me as well, as if I was a damned _transsexual…_" my lover growled lowly. "All those, if you ask _me,_ seem like solutions you pulled out of your ass, and not from actual experience!"

"Oh, really?" my father nearly yelled, a faint blush coloring his face, much to my astonishment. "Well, human, I happen to know of _someone,_ an actual _doctor_ in human health, that could be of service to your ungrateful soul." And, with that, he vanished from our room, slamming the door shut after himself and leaving all his things behind, still scattered.

I worried for what would happen because of this conflict…

* * *

My father was absent again from the pet shop, yet, this time, it was nearly a _week_ until he reappeared. During that period, Leon had fallen ill, having a very high fever I could not lessen through any way, and my son had chosen to seriously misbehave, to the point that not even the pets could distract him for a minute for me to tend to my detective… I sighed in relief once I felt my father's presence slip back into the pet shop quietly and discreetly one noon, and I nearly ran to meet him at the entrance.

I froze at the doorstep to the parlor, though, shocked at seeing _who_ he had brought along with him: "Is that…? It cannot be!" I whispered, and my father smirked at me over his shoulder as he settled his unconscious companion on the couch. "Agent Howell!"

"Agent?" my father confusedly asked, then he seemed to remember the time when I had told him how I had fallen into allowing Leon to become my lover. His smirk returned. "Oh, yes, I had forgotten: You three _know each other…_" he purred, probably already planning further mischief.

"Did you kidnap the agent, father?" I hissed.

"Not precisely _kidnap,_ as he is _not_ a kid, but…"

"Father, that can only bring us more trouble!" I nearly yelled, barely containing myself through the mental reminding that I had yet to know the reason for the abduction. "_Why_ did you bring him here? As you said yourself, we have met each other in the past…"

He smiled innocently at me. "Do not worry." I had instinctually learned to _dread_ that phrase by now. "I erased all track of him and of my own actions before returning here. And _why,_ you have asked: He is the human health doctor I promised Orcot to bring along to make a diagnose of his condition."

"Agent Howell works for the FBI, and _not_ in forensics," I tried clarifying, but my father just ignored my words.

"Where is your human pet, by the way? Sleeping? Eating? Locked in the bathroom?"

I left the parlor, running toward my bedroom, fearing that Leon could have gotten worse while I was dealing with my father, who, in the end, was more like a chaos bringer than a relief or a blessing. Fortunately, my lover was still evenly breathing, dreaming away his horrible reality…

A hand fell on my shoulder, pulling me away from the bed. "Seems I cannot leave you for a minute before you two ruin it all," my father sighed dramatically, and, even when his accusation angered me, I was thankful that he was, at least, trying to prove his helpfulness at the moment.

* * *

"The baby _moved,_ D," Leon softly whispered, reaching to take my hand into his grasp. My breath got caught in my throat, and I rose from my seat to approach my detective, kneeling beside his form on the bed.

"That is _wonderful,_ my love," I replied, leaning forward to kiss his forehead, thankful for the receding fever: I could not bear the thought of him suffering any longer. "How do you feel?"

His bright smile could have ended wars. "_Amazing!_" he said, referring to the event and not to his health. And I could empathize with his current emotion, as my own son's development had brought similar ones to my heart not so long ago; everything else had mattered _so little,_ even my fears and discomfort and insecurities… "You think you'd be able to feel it too?" he wondered aloud.

"Not yet," I told him. "Sometime soon, but not now."

He seemed eternally disappointed for a second, before his mood went high again, with a tightening of his grip on my hand, and he commented the child had moved once more. "Our kid's going to be _very_ active, if this keeps up, D," he chuckled. "That'll be some mess we'll have to deal with."

He did not seem troubled by the idea, though, as I was: Valuables and pets abounded in our surroundings… Yet his mood was contagious, and I ceased worrying as I dared dreaming of our future, sighing as I laid down beside my lover, embracing him.

My father chose that moment to enter the room without warning. "Oh, my, how cute!" he exclaimed, rushing to the bedside as we disentangled ourselves from each other. "Seriously, one would think you two would still be wary of the fever, yet such closeness…"

"What do you want, father?" I asked, rising from bed.

"Well, I came here to tell you our _doctor_ has awakened," he answered with a smirk, "and I thought it would be for the best if you and Orcot got to be there for the explanation I must give him."

I sighed, remembering I had not told Leon yet of _who_ had my father abducted to be the medic he had requested; I also had forgotten to demand proof of the legality of my father's claim that Agent Howell was a _doctor…_ "Let us go, Leon," I told him over my shoulder.

He complied by slowly rolling off the bed, stretching and yawning, and putting on the robe I handed him, since it was a more presentable garment than his sleeping clothes. "You don't seem too happy," he whispered as we followed my father out of our bedroom and into the parlor.

"You shall see why soon enough, my love," I nearly groaned, dreading what awaited for the rest of the day. "And why ask for a doctor at all, Leon?" I inquired softly, wanting the agent gone from the pet shop.

"I kind of feel _unsafe_ with his weird methods, D," he replied. "Who knows if he's doing the right thing: He experiments on _animals,_ he said it himself, but our laws forbid experimentation on _humans,_ so…"

It was _not_ as if that would be the first illegal thing I heard my family doing, but I abstained from making further comments as we crossed the doorway to the parlor. As expected, Leon froze in place, staring and gaping at the not quite conscious agent.

My father walked past us to sit beside him, holding him still on place. "I know you have met Vesca before, human, as an FBI agent following my trail. Yet allow me to tell you why I have brought him over: He was once a student of the medicine school when I was at the university, where we met. Hence, I decided to entrust him with our case at _your request,_ Orcot."


	16. Developing Future: The Problem

_**Developing Future  
**__The Problem_

* * *

"What _the Hell_ is he doing here?" Leon growled, and I had to hold him back as his indignation overcame his caution for our child. "I didn't ask for that guy to be brought over, damn it! And why didn't you fucking tell us _anything?_ You having chosen for us is just the same as if you were still doing everything yourself!" I could not help agreeing with my lover's arguments, yet I would have preferred another language being used; if our child was already _moving,_ surely it could already hear Leon's words.

"You would not have chosen a competent _and_ trustful person, Orcot, nor would have my son," my father replied, not even remotely bothered as he had been when my detective had first demanded another doctor to be brought over: Come to think of it, he seemed… _happier_ than ever at the moment. "I know Vesca to be both things," he added, smirking.

"He's also the one who locked D at the prison; he _can't_ be trusted. And if you kidnapped him, what would keep him _here?_ What would keep him quiet in case he _escaped,_ or something?" my lover argued again, sounding wary.

I sighed, guiding him to the armchair I usually occupied. Fixing my gaze on my father, I tried to reason with him: "Our situation is already dangerous enough as it is, father. We _do not_ need yet another worry, such as the agent would be. I would prefer it if you took him back where he belongs."

He frowned in response. "It is _safe,_" he insisted.

Neither Leon or I could respond to that, though, as Howell's gaze seemed to clear and focus, falling on us both suddenly. "Hey, you two," he said dryly, coughing before continuing: "what the Hell are you doing here? Or… damn, _where_ is this place?"

He was confused, I could tell; dizzy and unstable, because of the drug used on him. And the fact that my father was still holding him in place, hiding from him by exiting the limits of his vision, was _not_ helping the situation. "Father, let him go," I ordered in Chinese, careful of not giving him away to the agent, in case we could have a chance at undoing the abduction.

"Jealous, my son?" he joked in our native language as well, as it was becoming his custom.

The agent reacted quicker than my father could, and they found themselves looking into each other's eyes and freezing, Howell as if he thought he was having a nightmare, my father as if he had been caught monopolizing the cake. "D?" the blond man croaked; I felt a hint of affection and another of betrayal in his tone…

Then my father, all of a sudden, rendered the poor agent unconscious once more so swiftly _I_ did not get to see a thing. "We shall continue with our session _later,_" my father hissed when we stared. He dragged Howell to the back of the pet shop, presumably to his bedroom, leaving us alone in the parlor.

"If your dad wanted to _get laid,_ he could have just told us he was going out for some time, or something; he didn't need to bring his damned lover here," Leon commented. I sighed, not knowing what to think of this new problem at the moment.

* * *

"Guys don't get pregnant," Howell assured us, the next day, his hands bound behind his back with a pair of handcuffs; I wondered _where_ had my father found those, but continued serving tea in silence. "I don't appreciate jokes like this, D," he addressed my father calmly.

And the calmness was eerily shared: "It is no joke, Vesca," my father purred, making himself _very comfortable_ against his side, to which Leon hid a laugh by coughing. "In some weeks, you shall have undeniable proof of it. In the meantime, though…"

"Undeniable proof?" my detective asked suspiciously. I looked up just in time to see a smirk twisting my father's dark lips.

"The child is _moving_ already, is it not? Yet, right now, only _you_ can feel it; the rest of us have to wait a little longer, but it shall happen, eventually," he declared.

"I'm _not_ listening," the agent muttered, looking away.

And my lover reacted by jumping off his seat, startling me enough to let an empty teacup slip from my grasp. "Howell's _not_ going to touch me, damn it!" he growled. "And, come to think of it, neither are _you,_" he added, pointing at my father, who laughed lightly, obviously entertained.

"Leon, calm down," I admonished, handing him a cookie, of those I knew he had taken a liking to as of late. He took it gratefully, sat down and proceeded to _try_ to ignore the rest of the discussion. "Father, stop treating my lover and yours as your toys, please."

The way Howell snapped afterward reminded me _so much_ of my detective's own, it felt beyond a déjà vu… "I'm not _this freak's_ lover!" he yelled, unable to move as he wanted because of his twisted arms and bound hands. "Or, actually, I'm _not_ related in _any_ way to him."

"Not _right now,_ Vesca," my father purred, getting _even closer_ to the man, causing me _serious_ discomfort; after all, he was my reasonably venerable father. "But I do not think you have yet forgotten the university times… Or am I wrong?" The blush appearing on the agent's cheeks told us all.

"Father, _please,_ this is my grandfather's home, and _I_ am in charge…"

"I am not doing anything wrong," he defended his cause, slowly moving until he was straddling Howell's thighs as he had done with my detective some time ago, during that first examination. "Besides, you have your fun with your human," he added in Chinese.

"Hell, get off my lap, D!" the agent hissed, trying to throw my father aside.

"Told you: Your dad wanted some," Leon whispered to me, grabbing another cookie before he sat back comfortably and watched the show, amused: The other two, our _eldest,_ were behaving as childishly as they could, growling and giggling and nearly _bouncing_ on the couch enough to make it creak as if it was about to _snap._

Then… "Shit, D, leave me alone! I'm fucking _married,_ you know!" All the fun and games stopped.

* * *

My father had _never_ acted as professionally cold toward us as _after_ the surprising revelation of the agent's marital status: Happily married to a woman that worked at the other side of the country, with no children and no pets, and living in the American ideal, white picket fence house. And, I had to admit, I felt sorry for my father…

That evening's examination had us all gathered in my bedroom, the atmosphere tense. "So…" Howell sighed, after a summary of what had been done to Leon and the child was given, with a lot of medical terms I had failed to understand, "you're practically telling me we have a _human seahorse_ here?" I chuckled, even when Leon was offended.

"He is bearing a child that did not originate within his body, and he belongs to the male gender… I guess we are," my father replied indifferently.

"Well, that's kind of _unexpected;_ stranger than fiction." He got nearer to the bed, where my lover lay, his hands clutching the sheet to cover what he was allowed. "How's it going, Seahorse?" he asked Leon next.

"It's _Orcot _for you," growled my lover.

"He has been fine," I answered instead.

"Which is kind of a miracle," the agent said. "Men's bodies aren't, after all, made for such hard work to be done," he glanced over at my father, as if he had meant the whole explanation to be a hidden compliment, yet he was mostly ignored.

"Is there any advice you could give us, Mister Howell?" I politely and carefully inquired.

He looked at Leon, then back at me, and, chuckling, he replied, leaving my father astonished: "Seahorse here has been rather inactive for a while; more than a matter of weight-gaining, it's a matter of _how_ he'll end up after this is all done. He needs to use his body, even if not for _actual_ exercise… Hell, forget the sex ban: Do as you wish."

I had _one second_ to process his words, yet the time was robbed from me as my detective reacted and pulled me down to the bed, holding me close, whispering softly of his love in my ear. "May we have some privacy now?" he asked the other two in the room, though his intention was clearly an order and not a request.

My father sulkily left, followed by Howell, who was torn between enjoying the situation and dreading it, never having wished to bother anyone. I left their problems to themselves, though, following my father's own philosophy, and falling into his favorite phrase in the way: «Jealous, father?» I thought, before being consumed by the rekindled and joyous flame of my lover.


	17. Developing Future: The Interaction

_**Developing Future  
**__The Interaction_

* * *

I awoke the next morning, a relief and joy I had not felt in a long while filling me, making me get closer to Leon's still sleeping form. I relished in the closeness, now that both of us were free to do as we desired; most probably, we would celebrate the permission being given for the rest of the day, if not the _week…_

The door of the bedroom opened, my father peering in. "It is late," he whispered, conscious that my lover was asleep and, for once, respecting his rest.

"Late for what?" I replied in a low voice.

"You two have officially skipped breakfast," he said, "which is _not fine_ for Orcot at the moment, regardless of _what _you have been doing _all night,_" he hissed. I realized that I had been right on thinking my father might actually be _jealous…_ Yet I did not want to be on such terms with him; he had done us well, after all, in his own and rather bizarre way.

"Could you do me a favor?" I asked softly.

My answer was the door being closed.

* * *

Q-chan landed on my shoulder as I entered the parlor, unusually silent. I petted him absentmindedly, my attention caught by the strange scene I had walked into: "Can't believe he's your grandson," Howell said fondly, as my father held my son seated on his lap. "He kind of has _your_ eyes…"

My father smiled. "I know," he replied, cheerful and proud. His gaze fell on me, then: "Oh, my dearest son! Good of you to have left bed so early," he rose, taking my child to hand him to me. "I believe some tea would do us all good," he added, before he disappeared in the direction of the kitchen.

Sighing, I sat on my armchair, my heir squirming in my embrace until I let him down to crawl about the room. A minute of silence passed by, a discrete period of waiting for my father to get distracted… "_What_ did you tell him?" I hissed afterward at the agent, who had his hands still bound behind his back.

"That I'm not truly married," Howell muttered, "that I was joking."

"You were not."

"I wasn't; I _am_ married." He seemed tired and defeated.

I glared at him. "I would _really_ appreciate it, Mister Howell, if you did _not_ lie to my father."

"I don't want to see him like that, all depressed and distant…"

"He could get even worse than that when he finds out you _lied._"

His eyes turned on mine, glaring back. "He's not _stupid:_ He knows I lied, but, right now, he needs to be able to _deny_ the truth until he figures out how to deal with it properly." The agent _was_ stupid, though: My father would _surely_ try to find and kill his wife. Or _I_ would, if he did not dare…

"Just do not upset him again, please," I begged, knowing my father was heading back into the parlor.

"Fine; no more nasty truths," the agent agreed.

My father brought the promised tea and a few sweet treats. "And where is Orcot, my son? Does he not wish to join us?" he asked politely.

"He fell asleep again after…" I trailed off, feeling a blush I could not will away rising. My father smirked, yet did not make a comment. "I will have to take him something to eat soon, though," I added, voicing my concern aloud.

"Something light and small, or he'll throw it up," the agent told us.

"Leon no longer has morning sickness, Mister Howell," I replied. Since he had returned from the hospital after being shot, actually. The sole memory made me shudder slightly at the grim possibility that had not been, thankfully…

He chuckled. "Considering that you two must be rather _overeager,_ I'd say that doesn't matter; he _will_ throw up a full lunch, so you better be careful. Or give him a meal and wait for a while before doing _something else._" My father kept from giggling by sipping his tea.

Q-chan's fur bristled with the indignation that I felt and did not show, and I gifted him with a chocolate covered strawberry as my father and the agent proceeded to talk to each other, reminiscing of their time together at the university, ignoring the rest of the world as they were enveloped by their bubble of happy memories.

Then, all of a sudden, the conversation fell into the dark topic of my father's disappearance: "Hell, D, why did you leave? You didn't tell _anything_ to _anyone!_ Not even to me," the agent demanded to know, and would have done something to my father had he not been restrained.

My father sighed, looking away. "I was going to give birth." Which was something I knew and found entirely reasonable.

But the blond man did not. "What the fuck?" he exclaimed, trying to rise from his seat, yet failing to keep his equilibrium and falling backwards once on his feet. Q-chan squeaked, humored. "You can't…! Well, you actually _can,_ I think, but… You don't actually mean that… you and I…" A _very interesting _deep scarlet blush was appearing on his face.

My father smirked, turning to look at him again, and not moving to go on his aid. "It was part of my plan, yes, to blame _you_ for it, yet I could not stay or tell you."

"You were going to make Mister Howell my _step-father?_" I inquired, disbelieving, taking advantage of the shocked agent's current mute state. "And you actually _slept with him?_" Somehow, imagining _my father_ in such a situation was… _disturbing._

Q-chan flew to sit on top of his head next, still squeaking amusedly. My father's expression matched my pet's mood. "Yes to both, my dearest son," he answered simply. "Your grandfather, though, intervened just in time to avoid chaos to set in. Still, he finds the case entertaining, even when he was _insufferable _back then…" He twisted the situation around with his following words: "It is not as if you were not doing _precisely that_ with Orcot to my grandson, my dear."

"I did not make him my son's father!"

"But he will grow as such, will he not? After all, you are having another child with the human… It would be _unfair_ to raise them differently." Q-chan seemed infuriated by his reasoning, and he pulled at my father's hair with his little paws. "_No! Do not do that!_" my father nearly shrieked, trying to make the Valvertinger release his hair without actually _hitting_ my poor, innocent pet.

"He's such a little girl," the agent chuckled, addressing me yet with his sight set on my father. "Can't mess with that hair without him _crying._"

"Please, do not refer to my father with those words, Mister Howell," I warned.

"Hell, what's all the noise you have going here?" Leon asked sleepily from the doorway to the depths of the pet shop.

I rose from my seat and went to stand by him, grasping his arm. "Let us go back to the bedroom, my love," I whispered. "The adults cannot behave like such today."

"I want a snack," he told me, his sweet blue eyes begging silently.

I sighed in resignation, releasing his arm. "Fine, Leon; go back to the bedroom, while I prepare you something." I did not want him to remain in the midst of the noisy mess of the parlor, as it may upset him too much…

As expected, though, it was _impossible_ to achieve such a mission: "Count? Leon?" came a feminine voice from the foyer.

"Miss Jill?"

Q-chan stopped and flew to Leon's shoulder. My father reacted with panic, disguised with a bout of _quite disturbing_ euphoria: "Come on, Vesca, let us go to the happy hiding place!" Then they were gone from the parlor, no traces of them having been there anywhere.

"Damn it, he's truly hiding his prisoner well," my detective commented. "Could get arrested if _Jill_ got to know…"

"That you were adulterous or something?" Jill joked, coming into the parlor. She stopped to pick up my child from the floor, hugging him in greeting. "How are you doing, Leon?" she asked him as we all sat down.

As I handed her a cup of tea, taking my son in exchange, he replied: "Nothing much, really. The kid's a very active, very strong kicker, though," he added, groaning.

Jill squealed joyfully; she had recently taken our case as _cute,_ for whichever reason, and we could not give her good news anymore without her reacting like that. "Oh, my goodness, how cute: The baby moved! When did it start?"

"Eh… very recently," he chuckled awkwardly. Upon handing him _the cookies,_ though, he concentrated on them, eagerly consuming them as would a vacuum cleaner.

"Wow, isn't Leon hungry as of late?" Jill teased.

"He did not eat breakfast," I laughed.

The mood lightened, much to my relief: After all, it had been a busy morning…


	18. Delegated Responsibility: The Pause

_**Delegated Responsibility  
**__The Pause_

--

The situation became better and less unstable as the days passed, and we got used to Howell being in the pet shop, interacting with my father in perfect harmony, and helping examine Leon's condition on a daily basis. He proved being _useful,_ even; my father had not lied about him being competent on the field of human medicine. «Why did he become an agent for the FBI, then?» I wondered at times.

"Yet the fact that you gave him those _hormones,_ D," he muttered one night, addressing my father only, as he usually did, "will come along with the uncomfortable side-effect of Seahorse here _growing breasts._"

My father gasped, then hiding his giggle behind his hand. I blushed, looking away, the sole words triggering thousands of ideas I did not want, and that I was sure would make Leon feel _worse_ instead of better. And my lover… "What the fuck?" he growled, nearly jumping off the bed to strangle Howell. "_Breasts?_"

"Small ones, Seahorse," the blond man replied, chuckling amusedly. "Not like the ones in magazines, if it's any reference." My father laughed, waving his hand dismissively at me when I glared.

"_What?_ And, hell, _stop_ calling me _that;_ I'm Orcot for you!"

"Do not upset him anymore, Vesca," my father purred, practically hanging from his arm. "It could harm him or the child." His words served another purpose: They forced Leon to calm down, as he had come to care enough for our child to avoid doing _anything_ that could endanger him.

I sighed, sitting down beside my detective, running my fingers through his blond hair. "Humans are _mammals,_ Leon," I whispered in Chinese, knowing he understood… and that Howell _did not._ "It is only natural for this to happen. With or without the hormones my father has given you, I have the feeling that you would have, eventually…"

"Grown boobs?" he completed with his vulgar word included, still in my native tongue. "Yeah, I also have that feeling: Life's been screwing my situation up and down _and sideways_ since this began. It wouldn't be too much to add the boobs to it, in the end."

"If you keep referring to them _with that word,_ I _will_ be calling them like that," I menaced.

He seemed amused, though. "Would _love it_ to see you try saying _boobs,_ D."

I blushed once more, this time in indignation. "You make it all so difficult at times!"

"Do not be dramatic, my dearest son," my father slipped into the conversation, excluding Howell by using Chinese. "And you, Orcot, do not be vulgar," he added with a smirk. "After all, and as my son implied, you will be dealing with your body, and they shall be what you say they are. It is more dignified to say _breasts,_ by the way," he giggled, saying the advice in English.

"I really do wonder what bunch of shit you three were saying," Howell said, as my father began guiding him out of the room. "Were you planning on naming Seahorse's…?"

Leon interrupted: "Howell, you should _really_ start wondering something more useful, you know? Like whether or not you'll end up in a situation _just like mine_ in the future," he commented. "After all, there's _one of them_ hanging from your arm."

By the reactions my lover's words caused on my father and the agent, _neither_ of them had considered the possibility of Howell getting pregnant as had my detective. Nor had I.

--

One morning, I awoke to the feeling of not being alone in the room, _on the bed,_ with my detective. Upon opening my eyes, my suspicion was confirmed: Many of the pets of the shop were sleeping as close to Leon as they could, unreasonably peaceful, even _those_ who had not liked my lover's presence near them in the past, such as T-chan, who was between us, and Q-chan, who had curled up over the slight swell of Leon's middle.

Rising from bed, trying not to disturb anyone's sweet dreams, I noticed the floor was also occupied in its majority, and that the door was open; the hall just outside seemed equally cluttered. I could not help smiling, my heart warming at the scene of acceptance I was witnessing…

Leon suddenly jumped, fully awake and looking confused as he glanced from one side to the other, finding fur and feathers and scales all around us both, isolated on the small island of our bed. "What is it, my love?" I asked him quietly, concerned for his abrupt waking.

Unexpectedly once more, Q-chan squeaked in joy, startling all the other pets present out of their dreams and back to reality, where they stared at my detective intently. "Well, I… I don't know… It just… kind of feels… _different_ today…" he whispered.

"What feels different?" Was he feeling ill again?

"I don't know… The baby…" Q-chan flew to allow him to place his own hand over his belly; the Valvertinger settled on his shoulder, looking excited. I did not have to wait long to know _why,_ as Leon gasped and reached for my hand, replacing his own next and allowing me to feel our child moving.

"_Leon…_"

"You _can_ feel it now, right?" he asked, unsure.

I smiled at him, understanding he had been _waiting_ to be able to share this experience of his with me. "Yes," I replied, leaning in to kiss him lightly.

The pets were overjoyed, and all of them were upon us as they tried to get closer to my lover, much to my amusement. Each passing day, after all, Leon seemed to go one step further into our world, as our child developed… It seemed as if my own dreams wished to become a reality through his changes.

--

Jill and my father reacted the _exact same way_ upon hearing the news, as well as when they actually got to feel the child's movements, even when Leon shied away as he was not used to be _touched_ as much as he had been as of late.

"Would you like us to organize you a baby shower, Leon?" Jill asked, excited and still kneeling by him at the parlor. Meanwhile, my father was nearly singing about his future grandchild; I could picture Howell shuddering by his side, as the thought of a pregnant man was still too much for him to bear…

"I'd like the gifts," Leon admitted, "but a _baby shower_ would be too much."

"That's no fun!" his partner complained. "But, oh well, we can't truly force you to have a party if you don't want one…" she sighed, hands on her hips as she rose to her feet. "Either way, the holidays are approaching; it could become an issue of having too many parties to deal with for the season, as well…"

"Oh, no!" Leon suddenly groaned, startling us.

"What?"

"I promised Chris he could come over to spend Christmas with us." Groaning again, he elaborated: "I can't receive him well if I'm _pregnant!_ And I _promised…_"

"Children can, at times, be more accepting of the world's happenings than most of the adults," my father said, patting my lover's shoulder. "It should not be too difficult to explain it to him, and why it is a good thing, a miracle."

My detective glared up at him. "Yeah, right! He'll surely be having a hard time comprehending, considering he's already been told _only women_ have kids. And we don't precisely have a good experience on that, either."

I shuddered, knowing what he meant: Their mother had died giving birth to Chris… «Died giving birth,» echoed in my mind, an unwelcome thought.

"We'll think of something, Leon," Jill said optimistically. "After all, it'd do you well to see your little brother right now, when you're going through this, even if we have to hide the truth somehow from him."

My father smirked at such suggestion. "We could disguise Orcot," he told Jill.

The sparkle of a shared idea shone on her eyes. "Maybe…" she trailed off, glancing at Leon, who could only cower while I silently dreaded the result of their plotting.

--

"This is as freaky as it gets," Howell muttered, faced with the problem of having to examine Leon, and my father insisting he had to feel the baby kicking…

My lover was behaving as stubbornly, except that he was louder. "I'm not allowing that guy to touch me, damn it!" he growled.

My father was exasperated. "You two are behaving like children," he said. "You are not getting any more _gay_ than what you already are."

"I'm not _gay!_" they replied in unison.

"I am afraid they are right," I whispered at my father. "Considering _we_ are hermaphrodites, would it not be fair to call them _bisexual,_ instead?" I suggested, smirking.

My father laughed lightly, entertained by the idea. "I would not know," he admitted. "Either way," he addressed the human pair again, "we need to get the diagnosis done, _whether _you two are willing or _not,_" he menaced.


	19. Delegated Responsibility: The Conflict

_**Delegated Responsibility  
**__The Conflict_

--

The news of Chris's future visit to the pet shop took the animals' attention away from Leon and our child for a while, as the inhabitants of the shop were intent on giving the youngest Orcot the most marvelous welcome they could ready for him; they held him in high esteem, and they had missed him terribly… And Leon was thankful for the moment's peace: "Couldn't stand the goat on my feet all the time!" he said.

"He just wanted to take good care of you; he worries for the child," I whispered, curled up against him, and also secretly grateful for the privacy we had earned: Being close to him was nearly _impossible_ with a roomful of pets.

"He'll _eat me_ after the birth!" my detective protested.

I kissed his cheek, soothingly running my fingers through his unbound blond hair. "I believe he will _not,_ my love," I replied. "The changes you are going through because of our child should leave a mark afterward, and T-chan should be able to acknowledge…"

"A _mark?_ What kind of mark, damn it?" he growled, looking at his own body in search of a _physical_ marking.

"It is _within_ you, Leon; you are changing to be more like my kin," I clarified.

He stopped fidgeting, _freezing_ instead. He had the strangest expression on his face, and it worried me, because it did not seem as if he was going to react positively to my words.

He obeyed my prediction by sharply turning to face me: "I _don't_ want to be one of yours, D," he said. "I'm happy being a _human,_ you know?" He rose from bed, and then left the room without saying more.

--

"It is only natural, my dearest son," my father off-handedly commented whilst he cooked the afternoon meal. "It would be as if you were offered or _forced_ to become _human,_" he related. _"_It is not that Orcot does not wish to be with you, or to have your child, yet…"

"Was it wrong from me to expect him to accept it?" I whispered, concerned. My son, who sat on the counter, reached for me with his little arms, and I sighed as I took him into an embrace. "I have not seen to my duties as of late, too taken by Leon and our child."

My father chuckled. "Your son has his grandfather to see for his well-being, if that worries you _now. _Also, you closed the pet shop to all clients _months_ ago, and the animals themselves are independent enough in their own environments," he enlisted. "Hence, you have _not_ failed on your _actual_ duties, even when you seem to be just as terrible as a parent as I was, and you do not seem to know _what_ to do and how to handle your human in this difficult time."

I sighed, looking down at my child, who stared back at me curiously, perhaps wondering what bothered me so. I left the kitchen along with my son, leaving my father with his cooking, Q-chan flying past me to go in.

Knowing that Leon would still be sulking at Chris's old room, I headed for the parlor, where my father had left Howell, his wrists bound behind his back, and both ankles tied tightly with what seemed to be rope to one of the couch's legs. «I believe father could find other more _normal_ ways of treating the agent,» I thought as I sat down on my armchair, placing my child on my lap, «and to keep him from actually escaping from the pet shop.»

"Hell, is D going to take _forever_ at the damned kitchen? This is as uncomfortable as…" he began complaining, yet I interrupted:

"Mind your language; an infant is here." My son giggled at the expression on the agent's face, causing me to smirk slightly. "Beside of that, do remember that we are _all_ named that way."

"Which way?"

"D."

He considered what I had said for a minute, before muttering: "If there's going to be a baby shower for Seahorse, I better get him a booklet with baby names, because, if he leaves it to _any of you_ to name the kid, there's going to be a mess."

"Do stop calling him like that, Mister Howell," I sighed, tired of having to reprimand him as I had done Leon in the past, knowing my father would _never_ unless he was playing… "But it is nice of you to think of gifting him something at all," I allowed. "After all, a _pregnant_ man would normally not receive such understanding from other men."

He coughed uncomfortably. "It's not like that; just thinking of the poor baby. A weird name generally leads to bullying from their peers."

«And would you not know that, Mister _Vesca_ Howell?» I could believe in the honesty of his words. "Thank you for your concern," I said softly, earning a light blush and more coughing.

Silence fell, and the delicious scent of the meal rose and conquered over the incense. Howell groaned, fighting without strength and will against his binds. "I'm starving," he muttered. "Your father's kind of a _sadist._"

"You think so, Vesca, love?" my father purred, appearing suddenly behind the couch, making the agent squirm by wrapping his arms around his shoulders. The closeness and intimate naming had me feeling equally uncomfortable. "Do not provoke me…" and he whispered the rest very softly, leaving me to infer from the deepening scarlet of Howell's cheeks _what_ he was telling him.

Afterward, he went around the couch to untie the agent's ankles, then guiding him to the table, mentioning that the meal was served over his shoulder. I sighed, while my son stared after his grandfather in wonder. "Let us go for Leon now, my son," I said after a while, rising with my child still in a tight embrace, heading for Chris's old bedroom.

--

My father had been bothered by Leon's behavior during the afternoon, and had sternly talked me into allowing him to go out. "He needs to see the outside world," he had said, "and to be among his kin for a while before his pregnancy gets any more noticeable."

Abiding by my father's orders, yet not wishing to be among humans that day, I arranged for Jill to take Leon to see a movie that evening, which was something I thought would be reasonably safe. Warning him to be careful, and receiving a thousand promises from Jill that he would suffer no damage whatsoever, I saw her car leaving from the front of the pet shop, sighing yet not wary; I was surprisingly calm.

I walked down the staircase back into the pet shop, deciding to take tea and a pastry. Yet I froze at the doorway of the parlor: My father was straddling Howell's lap, his arms wrapped around his neck, both kissing passionately…

"Father?" I croaked.

He immediately jumped off the agent, panting and blushing. "Oh, so you let Orcot and Miss Jill leave on their own? I thought you _would_ be accompanying them…"

--

"And what's that supposed to be?" Leon asked, eyeing the red, white and black ensemble weirdly, increasingly suspicious. I mentally echoed his question, also wondering what it might be…

"It's your _disguise_ for Chris's visit, you silly!" Jill laughed. "If you dress up as _Santa Claus,_ your little brother shouldn't be suspicious of you suddenly having grown a belly." I am sure I heard my father giggling behind us then.

"Hell, considering with _whom_ I live, it'd be easier to just tell him I ate too many sweets," Leon groaned, crossing his arms to avoid the suit being given to him.

"But then he'd be _disappointed_ of you, Leon," Jill reasoned. "He sees you as a role model, you said it yourself once; and what's he going to think when he sees you like this? Remember that fat police officers and detectives are said to be incompetent; what'll he believe you are doing at your job? Or will you tell him you have quitted?"

I could now see why my father had suggested we try to _explain_ Leon's pregnancy to Chris instead of trying to hide the issue: This was getting blown out of proportion, and… "You called me _fat!_" my lover cried, barely managing to feign indignation and not hurt, though his eyes had glazed over.

Jill paled, throwing the Santa Claus outfit at the couch, immediately reaching for Leon to try to console him. "I didn't mean it like that, Leon; I was saying…" I knew all her explanations would be useless in the end: Leon had been suffering of slight mood swings since our last conflict, thrown very easily off his neutral state and into either angry or depressed.

I sighed, letting myself fall on the armchair, my father leaning against it casually, smirking at the human pair before us. "We would do well if we ready an explanation for Orcot's younger brother," he said. "Just in case."


	20. Delegated Responsibility: The Visit

_**Delegated Responsibility  
**__The Visit_

-------

"Hell, it's barely been _six months,_ and I already look like a freaking _whale!_" Leon complained, standing in front of the full-length mirror in the bathroom, wearing his loosest clothes and _still_ showing quite a bit.

I could only stare in silence from the doorway, not daring to contradict his words: It was a week and half before the sixth month, and he did not seem as exaggeratedly big as he said he was. I also thought he looked particularly cute, especially when that strange joy that overcame his moods with calmness and a bright smile; he generally began feeling that way whenever our child moved, for some reason I could not figure out, since he should be used to such things happening by now…

"And I'm fucking _waddling,_" he added after a while, walking over to my side to demonstrate.

"Leon, _please,_ your language," I begged, knowing he took reprimands and commands _very_ badly as of late. "The child can hear you."

He sighed, miraculously keeping from pouting. "I know," he said. "But it's kind of difficult to break, the habit; harder than leaving the cigarettes and the beer when I moved in."

I smiled sympathetically, reaching out to hug him, assuring him it was fine as long as he tried, while thinking it was becoming increasingly difficult to deal with him…

-------

We had asked Jill to go retrieve Chris from the airport, since his family had sent him on his own, arguing they had noticed he had matured and grown quite independent while he had been living with Leon and I in the past, which meant he did not need any help traveling by plane. They did warn us on the schedule, of course, claiming our city was a dangerous place for a child his age to be alone at.

"What a contradiction!" my father had exclaimed when we told him as we waited. "If they worry for his safety, should they not come deliver him to the pet shop themselves?" I agreed wholeheartedly.

"I wish I could go pick him up," Leon whispered sadly, leaning against me as we sat on the couch together, holding hands. His free hand was, meanwhile, playing with the loose belt buckle of his Santa Claus outfit. "But I'd look even more ridiculous than I already do if I show up wearing _this._"

"Stop complaining, Seahorse," Howell replied. "You could have gotten stuck with a _penguin_ suit," he muttered through gritted teeth, referring to his own full-body costume, which had been procured by my father in order to hide him from Jill in plain sight, not truly knowing whether or not the agent had been reported as missing yet, or if someone was searching for him.

"Vesca, if you _do not_ cease complaining, I will be forced to gag you now," my father warned with a little smirk. The agent quieted down.

And hence, the four of us waited in silence, some of the pets around us expectantly looking at the main doors; Q-chan and my son, though, were distracted at one corner, presumably playing. Then we heard steps coming down the staircase, and I rose to open the door.

"Count!" Chris exclaimed joyously, throwing himself at my legs, hugging them tightly. "I missed you!"

"I missed you as well, Chris," I replied softly, running my fingers through his blond hair. "Let us go greet Leon now, yes?" My lover could not walk around that much any longer, after all; or, at least, without an obvious waddle that irritated him so.

"Yes!" Chris agreed, and he followed me into the parlor, while Jill closed the main door behind herself.

"Hey, Chris," Leon called, stretching an arm forward to embrace his younger brother… who promptly _jumped_ onto the couch beside my detective, startling and worrying the rest of us; he could have harmed Leon or our child in his haste! "What's up, kid? How have you been?" my lover continued as if nothing had happened.

"Fine," the boy answered, smiling brightly. "And you? Why are you wearing a Santa suit?" he laughed, pulling once on the belt.

"The Christmas spirit," Leon lied, stretching.

Yet, upon placing his little hand over Leon's belly, Chris frowned slightly, as did I: For how long would my lover's nearly paper-thin disguise fool his younger brother, who also shared his deductive skills?

-------

The following day, Chris had been surrounded by the pets since dawn, lessening the risk of Leon's pregnancy being discovered so early during his visit, as the animals of the shop sensed our worry and became our accomplices in hiding the truth.

My detective did not seem happy with such arrangement all of a sudden, though. "He's going to be an _uncle,_ D," he whispered to me as we stood in the partial shadows of the hall, looking into the parlor at the playing child. "And he's not going to know about it."

"We _could_ tell him, Leon," I said, "if you wish."

"Hell, _no!_" he growled lowly. "I want him to grow up as a _normal_ kid, without the knowledge of crazy and supernatural male pregnancies." Sighing, he added: "He could actually come to _expect_ them to happen, or give us out, if we told him…"

"Do you not trust in your brother, Leon?"

"Kids that consider something _normal_ don't have reserves at _saying_ them aloud, and he'll think a guy being pregnant is normal if he sees _me_ go through it."

"We could explain to him how it is a miracle that it happened to us, Leon," I insisted.

Then he threw at me, completely unexpected: "And how do we explain _your son? _It's too late to tell him your dad's a girl and it's his baby, because we already presented him as a _guy._ And he'd ask for the kid's _mother_ otherwise, D."

I sighed, truly wanting to _groan;_ Leon made it sound all _so complicated,_ when I was _sure_ it did not have to be that way. "He would appreciate the truth being told, my love," I finally whispered to him. "After all, it cannot be hidden _forever,_ and do I not know about it? The pets I sell _thrive_ in the presence of human secrets."

He excused himself then, yawning, probably wishing to rest and consult the issue with the pillow.

I walked into the parlor, intending on serving the afternoon tea… only to find it ready, yet slightly cold. «My father must have done it,» I reasoned.

But he was nowhere to be seen: Considering that my son was alone in a corner, though, he could not be that far, being as close as he was to his grandchild. And, wishing to comment the discussion I had with Leon with him, I got to feel his presence from the kitchen, guiding my steps in that direction.

A _great_ mistake… I needed to learn not to seek my father out: As it was, he was currently lying on the floor along with the agent, both asleep, and they had evidently been… _sharing_ a little moment of passion _in the kitchen._

Q-chan startled me out of my shock by landing on my shoulder, squeaking reprovingly of what he saw, golden fur bristled. I shared his indignation, and I closed the door to keep the pets and Chris out, ashamed of my father's irresponsible actions.

-------

"Why does Leon's pillow _kick_ back when you hug him?" Chris innocently asked during dinner, making my detective choke on his food, and the rest of us fall silent with dread, as I had not yet reached a consensus with Leon regarding the reveal of his condition to his younger brother. "It's not a pillow, is it?"

"What an amusing boy," my father commented in Chinese, sipping his tea delicately afterward. And he had _purposely_ forgotten to button two clasps of his cheongsam, as a reminder of…

"No, Chris, it's _not_ a pillow," Leon finally said, looking away from his sibling. "I… It's… I'm kind of…" I grasped his hand under the table, prompting him to tell the child the truth, "I'm pregnant, Chris," he shrugged with a nervous laugh.

Chris stared at him for a second before simply replying with a: "Oh." He took another bite of his dessert, and a gulp of chocolate milk, all without seeming to doubt his eldest brother.

"Eh… Chris? Don't you find it _weird?_" Leon awkwardly asked. "Or don't you think it might be a _joke?_"

"It's weird," the boy conceded, "but it'd have been _weirder_ if you had a kicking pillow under your Santa suit!" he reasoned, laughing.

"Adult logic says _otherwise,_" Howell whispered at my father, who giggled.

"Children are more open to the miracles and mysteries of life," my father replied softly at his _lover,_ and they would have shared a kiss had I not _glared_ from across the table. "It is certainly a _relief_ that you are so accepting, young Christopher," he addressed the boy. "Your brother will be happier now."

And, indeed, Leon's smile said so.


	21. Delegated Responsibility: The Holiday

_**Delegated Responsibility  
**__The Holiday_

_

* * *

  
_

Christmas was approaching, and, as American customs demanded, my father and Howell had gone out and acquired a small tree, which they decorated with the help of Chris, my son, and some of the youngest pets, while Leon and I watched from the couch. "The baby wants to join the fun," my lover chuckled, shifting on his seat as the kicking became uncomfortable.

"It will have to wait," my father and I said in unison, Q-chan squeaking from on top of the tree.

"When will the baby be born?" Chris asked innocently, helping the agent with the little colored lights.

My father shrugged, a glass sphere hanging from one of his fingernails, his grandson staring in wonder. "I believe it should be around spring, if all goes well." Leon sighed, half-warily, half-excitedly; I held his hand for comfort and reassurance.

"And will it be a boy or a girl?" Chris continued.

"We do not know, Chris," I whispered, my lover turning pensive. "We shall know when it is born."

"Aw!" he exclaimed in disappointment. "I won't be here for the day when the baby's born, _and_ I don't know if I'm going to be the uncle of a nephew or a niece!"

"Time won't pass any faster, kid," Howell commented, "or any slower. And the most important thing is that the baby's born _healthy,_ and that Sea… _your brother_ is safe." His words were kind of heartwarming; they brought a fond smile to my father's lips, at the very least.

Silence fell, interrupted only by soft-spoken instructions and the joyous voices of Chris and the pets. It was all calm for the rest of the afternoon, ending with a chocolate cake and varied cookies, the reward for everyone's efforts.

* * *

"It's morning! It's morning!" chanted my lover's little brother, bursting into our room.

I woke just in time to remember we were both _naked_ under the covers, so I held on to them to keep the young one from removing them. "Indeed, Chris, it is morning," I replied warmly, as Leon woke up slowly beside me.

"There are gifts at the parlor, Count!" he exclaimed eagerly. "Let's go open them!"

"Chris, _seriously,_ what hour is this to wake us up?" Leon yawned tiredly, sleepily looking at his sibling.

"It's Christmas!" the child told him.

My detective seemed to remember that fact, and he shifted to rise, but I held on to him. "Leon, we are _not_ presentable right _now,_" I whispered in Chinese.

He stopped moving, turning at his brother: "We'll be with you in a minute," he said, motioning the child to get out of the bedroom.

Chris reluctantly obliged, pouting. We sighed in relief once he was gone, and immediately rose and proceeded to redress ourselves, before we left the room to join my lover's younger brother at the parlor.

* * *

My father and Howell also seemed to have dressed themselves in haste, and I dreaded the possibility of Chris stepping into _their_ bedroom as well… "Look! There're many gifts here!" the young one exclaimed excitedly, ignoring the things he had walked into that same morning as he pointed at the tea table, which was, indeed, littered with the presents we had set the previous night, once he was asleep.

"Have you spotted yours yet?" Leon played along with the over-eagerness, taking the armchair and leaning forward as much as he could to rummage through the gift-wrapped presents. "Or any of mine?"

As Chris knelt beside him, the rest of us took over the couch, entertained by watching the two siblings destroy the perfect, little mountain of gifts. Q-chan landed on my shoulder, holding a halved cookie he had saved from the day before, and he offered me one of the bits, afterward settling down and enjoying the show while devouring his cookie.

"Hey, this one is mine!" Chris victoriously said, holding up a present. He tore at the gift wrap, revealing… "A _puzzle?_" he sounded thoroughly disappointed.

"I thought it would do you well, young Christopher; they aid you to develop your abilities," my father told the child, who did not seem to want to understand my father's motives.

"Puzzles aren't that fun…" the boy muttered.

Howell reached out, picking another gift and handing it to the child: "Let's see if this is better for you."

Chris reluctantly opened it, expecting something along the same lines as my father's puzzle present. "A videogame!" he exclaimed, holding it up like a trophy, much to Leon's amusement and mine.

"Told you: Kids like that stuff," Howell whispered at my father, who pouted.

"_Human_ children do not appreciate the beauty and the challenge of puzzles and the like," my father replied. "And how would you know of children, anyway? You have none." I tensed, fearing another discussion coming out from the agent's wife and the life he had formed…

"My peers do, most of them," Howell claimed, cutting the argument short just in time.

Our attention went back to Chris and Leon, the former handing a present to the latter: "This is for you, brother." I recognized it as Jill's gift, which she had left days ago as a tease for my detective, who would not be allowed to open it until Christmas's morning.

He carefully tore the bright paper, opening the thin box in wonder. "Oh, how _unfunny,_" he growled, throwing the box aside, two bags, one pink and the other blue, on his hand. "A pair of baseball caps if the child's a boy, and a pair of _girly ribbons_ if it's a girl; one's intended for me, so we match…"

My father hid his laughter behind his lover's shoulder, who just chuckled. I could not help a little smirk forming on my lips as well, even when Chris remained as innocent as always: "You just give both ribbons to your daughter, if the baby's a girl," he reasoned.

"She's getting her revenge for the baby shower…" Leon kept on growling, ignoring the world around him. "Just because I didn't want one, she's humiliating me with her silly gifts…"

"Come on, Leon," I chided, "she does not mean you any wrong."

Chris had, in the meantime, opened Jill's gift for him, which was a sweater. "Clothes are boring," he declared, my father laughing again. The child sought more presents for himself, finding ours: A building blocks set. "Lego!" he giggled, shaking the box to hear the pieces moving within.

"You like?" Leon asked, leaving the caps and ribbons aside. Chris nodded. "D here thought we should give you something educational, or, at the very least, _not violent._" He whispered to his younger sibling about the other toys he was going to ask Jill to buy in his stead, but that I had sent back, because they were _not_ proper for a child of Chris's age, thing Leon refused to understand.

"It will be troublesome to deal with our child in the future," I said in Chinese, and my lover scowled, "as we cannot even agree on a present for your brother." But it would be fine, I could feel: Our problems could only make our union stronger…

Chris retired to his bedroom with his gifts, and Leon took his chance to hand me a small box. "For you," he told me, kissing my cheek. "Sorry I couldn't get you something better."

It was a bright amethyst on a shiny golden ring. "Thank you, my love," I rewarded his kind present with a kiss, afterward clarifying that his presence alone, beside me, was enough to make me happy, even when I appreciated the gift.

* * *

"Can I come visit again whenever I want?" Chris cried on my shoulder, as Leon stood close by.

"Of course you can, Chris," my lover assured the child.

I added: "As long as your aunt gives you the permission, we will gladly receive you for as long as you want." After all, it was important to respect the wishes of his legal guardian.

"And will you call when the baby's born? I want to know when it happens…"

My detective sighed, shifting as his feet began getting tired. "If you don't tell anybody else, we can even send you a photo of the baby," he offered.

"I won't tell! I already promised!" Chris protested.

Jill and Howell came back downstairs into the pet shop, after the agent took Chris's things to her car; she would take him to the airport, and accompany him back to the East Coast, since she needed to visit someone as well. "Thank you for doing us this favor, Miss Jill," I told her, as Chris hugged Leon once more, again crying because he had to leave.

"No problem, Count."

My father came along with my son to say his goodbye to my lover's sibling, along with some of the pets. Chris shyly replied to him something I did not catch, and he shook my son's hand amiably before he allowed Jill to guide him outside.

"Take care, Chris," Leon called after him.


End file.
